Not alcohol or marijuana: This is the substance Americans think is the most harmful

Decriminalization and legalization of marijuana has made big strides over the past decade. Once stigmatized by society, with an overwhelming majority thinking that it should be illegal, the tables have turned with 70% of the American public in 2023 telling Gallup that it should be legal, double the share at the turn of the century.

While still illegal at the federal level, roughly three-quarters of states have legalized marijuana for medical or recreational purposes. According to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, just over half of US adults say that they have used the drug in their lifetime.

That’s far less than the 84% who said they’ve consumed alcohol but the effects of neither of the two is view as poorly as another substance which nearly two thirds of Americans have tried.

The substance Americans think is the most harmful

Cigarette smoking peaked in the mid-1950s at 45% of US adults, after which smoking rates gradually decreased likely because Americans began to heed health warnings. Nowadays only an estimated 11.6% of US adults currently smoke according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

When asked about how harmful they feel cigarettes are, a whopping 97% of respondents told Gallup that they are “very harmful” (79%) or “somewhat harmful” (18%). Chewing tobacco (92%) and E-cigarettes (91%) were also viewed as being more harmful than five other substances including alcohol and marijuana. Although a majority of the public viewed each of the substances in the survey as being “very or somewhat harmful.”

While marijuana may be considered the least harmful, the public’s perception of its health effects and its effect on society and users has worsened over the past couple years. Over the past year those that see it as very harmful has risen three points to 26% and those that say it is somewhat harmful has jumped five points to 40%.

The most recent data from Gallup now shows that a majority, 54%, think that it negatively affects society up from 50% in 2022. Even among users 51% now have a negative view of its effects on society compared to 45% just two years ago.

While a majority of some subsets of respondents believe it has a positive effect on most users, across all groups surveyed opinions have become more negative. Among the total population there has been a 10 percentage point decrease from 53% to 43% of those who say marijuana has a positive effect on most who use the drug.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.