USA: 14% of Americans think cannabis should be illegal

The latest survey Harvard-Harris Poll (July 2017) shows that only 14% of Americans think cannabis should be illegal.

49% responded that cannabis should be legalized for both medical and recreational use. And 37% only for medical use, which means that 86% of respondents are in favor of legalizing cannabis in one form or another.

The investigation comes at a time when the Attorney General Jeff Sessions has never been so ready to tackle the cannabis market in the United States. The Department of Justice is due to issue a report linking cannabis and violent crime, which could recommend harsher penalties for cannabis producers, distributors and consumers.

«Citizens point to drugs as a major source of crime and are in favor of tough penalties for drug dealers, but see cannabis in a completely different light,» explains Mark Penn, director of the polling institute. «Most think that legalizing cannabis would help reduce crime, and almost half are in favor of legalization.

In detail, 69% of respondents said they would not be concerned if cannabis were legalized in their state. 57% think that legalizing cannabis would improve society. And 72% think that even if cannabis is illegal, possession of small amounts of cannabis should not result in prison sentences.

Nevertheless, the study reveals concern about the increase in crime due to the drug trade.

Nationwide, 60% of respondents believe that crime is on the rise. And that drugs are the primary cause, followed by lack of jobs, poor moral values, poverty and gangs.

88% see drug abuse as a serious problem or crisis.

Jeff Session has just launched a task force to eliminate trafficking in prescription drugs, as the United States is currently facing a serious epidemic of opiate abuse and overdoses.