Widespread Support for Medical Marijuana Throughout the Country

(used with permission of MPP.org)

  • A November 2005 nationwide Gallup poll showed 78% of Americans "support making marijuana legally available for doctors to prescribe in order to reduce pain and suffering."
  • Support spans age groups as well. In a November 2004 AARP poll, 72% of Americans aged 45 and older said that "adults should be allowed to legally use marijuana for medical purposes."
  • Since 1996, a majority of voters in Alaska, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington state have voted in favor of ballot initiatives to remove criminal penalties for seriously ill people who grow or possess medical marijuana.
  • State legislatures in Hawaii, Vermont, Rhode Island, and New Mexico have listened to their constituents and passed medical marijuana laws.
  • Polls show that public approval of medical marijuana laws has increased since the laws went into effect.

 

State-specific medical marijuana public opinion polling results*

STATE DATE % IN FAVOR QUESTION WORDING
Alabama July 2004 75% Support legalizing marijuana for medical use under a doctor's supervision
Arkansas November 6-8, 2002 62% Support "a law that would allow people with cancer and other debilitating medical conditions to register in a state-regulated program permitting them to grow and use a limited amount of marijuana for medical purposes"
Connecticut June 2004 83% Favor "changing the law to allow people with cancer, AIDS, and other serious illnesses to use and grow their own marijuana for medical purposes, if they have the approval of their physicians"
Florida June 2006 65% Support "allowing people with cancer, multiple sclerosis, and other serious illnesses to use and grow their own marijuana for medical purposes, as long as their physician approves"
Georgia April 2001 69% Favor medical marijuana access
Illinois February 10-13, 2006 62% Support allowing "people with cancer, MS, AIDS and other serious diseases to use and grow their own marijuana for medical purposes as long as their physician approves"
Massachusetts 1999 81% Would definitely (62%) or probably (19%) support "the medical use of marijuana by patients with certain diseases, who have a doctor's recommendation"
Michigan August 2003 59% Support removing criminal penalties for the medical use of marijuana
Minnesota February 18-21, 2006 60% Favor legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes
Nebraska February 2002 64% Support an initiative that "would remove the threat of arrest and all other penalties for seriously ill patients who use and grow their own medical marijuana with the approval of their physicians"
New Hampshire August 2003 84% Agree that "federal law should be changed so that people with cancer, AIDS, and other serious illnesses can use medical marijuana legally with the approval of their physician"
New Jersey May 2002 82% Strongly support (61%) or somewhat support (21%) "allowing doctors in New Jersey to prescribe marijuana for patients with serious illnesses"
New Mexico September 24-26, 2002 72% Favor "legalizing marijuana use by those who have serious medical conditions, to alleviate pain and other symptoms"
New York June 2005 76% Support allowing "people with cancer, AIDS, and other serious illnesses to use and grow their own marijuana for medical purposes, so long as their physician approves"
North Dakota February 2002 63% Support an initiative that "would remove the threat of arrest and all other penalties for seriously ill patients who use and grow their own medical marijuana with the approval of their physicians"
Pennsylvania April 27-May 1, 2006 76% Favor "allowing adults to legally use marijuana for medical purposes if a doctor recommends it"
South Dakota February 2002 64% Support an initiative that "would remove the threat of arrest and all other penalties for seriously ill patients who use and grow their own medical marijuana with the approval of their physicians"
Texas October 2004 75% Favor allowing "people with cancer and other serious illnesses to use their own marijuana for medical purposes, as long as their physician approves"
Virginia June 2001 75% Agree that "doctors should allowed to prescribe marijuana for medical use when it reduces pain from cancer treatment or other illnesses"
Wisconsin July 11-22, 2005 76% Support a bill that would "allow people with cancer, multiple sclerosis, or other serious illnesses to use marijuana for medical purposes, as long as their physician approves"
Wyoming February 2002 65% Support an initiative that "would remove the threat of arrest and all other penalties for seriously ill patients who use and grow their own medical marijuana with the approval of their physicians"