Fox News Poll Reveals 69% of Americans, Including Most Republicans, Support Cannabis Legalization

Released on the heels of President Joe Biden’s announcement that his administration is moving to reschedule cannabis, a new Fox News poll reveals that 69 percent of registered voters in the U.S. back broader reform to end prohibition altogether. Notably, 45 percent of respondents said they “strongly” favor the reform.

Bipartisan and Demographic Support

Support for marijuana legalization spans across the political and demographic spectrum. While Democrats are the most likely to back the policy change at 81 percent, a majority of 55 percent of GOP voters and 65 percent of independents also favor legalization. The poll found majority support among all ages, races, income levels, education levels, and geographic regions. The only group with majority opposition was those who identified as “very conservative.” Surprisingly, even among demographics such as those aged 65+ and white evangelists, a majority supports the reform.

Germany Legalizes Possession of Cannabis

In a related global development, Germany has legalized the possession of cannabis, reflecting a growing trend towards marijuana legalization worldwide.

Support Among Trump and Biden Voters

Interestingly, the Fox News poll indicates that 59 percent of voters expected to support former President Donald Trump in the upcoming election favor legalizing marijuana, compared to 80 percent of expected Biden voters. This demonstrates the widespread appeal of marijuana reform across different voter bases.

Consistency with Other Polls

The top-line finding aligns with a major poll from Gallup last year, which showed 70 percent support for legalization among Americans. The Fox News survey involved interviews with 1,126 registered voters from May 10-13, with a margin of error of +/- three percentage points.

Caution from Cannabis Lobbyists

Don Murphy, a cannabis lobbyist and former GOP Maryland legislator, shared a picture of Fox News presenting the poll results and cautioned Republican lawmakers against making controversial statements about Biden’s rescheduling move given the overwhelming popularity of legalization. “To my @GOP friends: Please don’t say anything stupid today. Of course, this is political, but that doesn’t make it wrong. Have a nice weekend,” Murphy tweeted.

Biden vs. Trump on Cannabis Policy

The Biden campaign has been quick to promote the rescheduling action, drawing a contrast with Trump, whose administration rescinded federal cannabis enforcement guidance that outlined a non-intervention policy for state cannabis laws. Despite this, Biden has maintained opposition to full legalization, whereas Trump has voiced support for states’ rights to enact their own cannabis laws but also adopted aggressively anti-drug rhetoric, including support for applying the death penalty to drug dealers.

Moving Forward with Rescheduling

The Justice Department announced that Attorney General Merrick Garland had officially initiated the formal rulemaking process, submitting the proposed rescheduling rule to the Federal Register to begin a 60-day public comment period. This move is being praised as a historic step, recognizing for the first time in over 50 years that cannabis has accepted medical value and a lower abuse potential compared to other Schedule I drugs like heroin.

The evolving landscape of marijuana legalization in the U.S. reflects a significant shift in public opinion and political will, with broad support cutting across traditional partisan and demographic lines. As the public comment period begins, the momentum for comprehensive marijuana reform appears stronger than ever.