A national survey found most Americans believe marijuana has benefits, with views more favorable than evidence supports | Research

The takeaway

A survey of 9,003 U.S. adults found that 81% believed marijuana has at least one benefit (most commonly pain management), while 29% believed smoking marijuana prevents health problems and 22% believed it is not at all addictive.

Public health professionals designing cannabis education; policymakers evaluating cannabis legalization impacts; healthcare providers discussing cannabis with patients.

29% of U.S. adults believed smoking marijuana prevents health problems

What the researchers found

Researchers surveyed a probability-based sample of 16,280 U.S. adults in 2017, with 9,003 responding (55.3% response rate).

About 14.6% reported using marijuana in the past year.

Belief in benefits was widespread: 81% cited at least one benefit. The most common: pain management (66%), treating diseases like epilepsy and MS (48%), and anxiety/stress/depression relief (47%).

Risk awareness was also high: 91% identified at least one risk. Top risks cited: legal problems (51.8%), addiction (50%), and impaired memory (42%).

Several beliefs diverged from established evidence: 29.2% agreed that smoking marijuana prevents health problems. About 18% believed secondhand marijuana smoke is safe for adults, and 7.6% believed it is safe for children. Only 7.3% considered marijuana use safe during pregnancy. About 22.4% believed marijuana is not at all addictive.

The authors concluded that Americans' views of marijuana are more favorable than existing evidence supports.

Why it matters

Public perception drives policy and personal health decisions. When a significant portion of the public believes marijuana prevents health problems or is not addictive, this creates a gap between perception and evidence that has real consequences for individual health choices and public health messaging.

The numbers in context

9,003 respondents (55.3% response rate). 14.6% past-year use. 81% cited at least 1 benefit. 91% cited at least 1 risk. 66% cited pain management as a benefit. 29.2% believed smoking prevents health problems. 22.4% believed marijuana is not at all addictive. 7.3% considered use safe during pregnancy.

How the study worked

Probability-based online survey of 16,280 U.S. adults in 2017 using the GfK KnowledgePanel. 55.3% response rate (n = 9,003). Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

What this study cannot tell us

Online survey with 55.3% response rate, so non-responders may differ systematically. Self-reported marijuana use likely underestimates true prevalence. Survey wording may have influenced responses. Cross-sectional snapshot from 2017.

How to read the evidence

Strong. Large, nationally representative probability-based sample with validated survey methodology. Funded by NHLBI.

When this study was published

Published in 2018 using 2017 data. Public perception may have shifted further with continued legalization.

The bigger picture

This survey was conducted as legalization was accelerating across states. The gap between public perception and evidence suggests that public health messaging has not kept pace with the marketing and normalization of marijuana use.

Questions still open

Have public perceptions shifted further since 2017 as more states have legalized? Does exposure to cannabis marketing influence specific health beliefs? Would targeted public health campaigns change the perception that marijuana prevents health problems?

Common questions

Is marijuana actually addictive?

Yes. About 9-10% of people who use marijuana develop cannabis use disorder, and the rate is higher among those who start young or use daily. The finding that 22.4% of adults believed it is not addictive at all shows a significant perception gap.

Does marijuana really help with pain?

Some evidence supports cannabis for certain types of chronic pain, which is why 66% of respondents cited it as a benefit. However, the evidence is more mixed than public perception suggests, and not all pain types respond equally to cannabis.

Read the original research

Risks and Benefits of Marijuana Use: A National Survey of U.S. Adults.

Annals of internal medicine, 169(5), 282-290

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Keyhani, Salomeh; Steigerwald, Stacey; Ishida, Julie; Vali, Marzieh; Cerdá, Magdalena; Hasin, Deborah; Dollinger, Camille; Yoo, Sodahm R; Cohen, Beth E. (2018). Risks and Benefits of Marijuana Use: A National Survey of U.S. Adults.. Annals of internal medicine, 169(5), 282-290. https://doi.org/10.7326/M18-0810