5.1b Marijuana Use

Though attitudes toward the use of marijuana have softened, regular use is infrequent. Half of U.S. adults (50.3%) have ever used marijuana, with 23% having used it in the prior year (Schaeffer, 2024). From 2002 to 2015, when support for legalization grew, actual use increased more slowly. Only 10.4% of U.S. adults in 2002 used marijuana, compared to 13.3% using it in 2015 (Hasin & Walsh, 2021).

Marijuana use is still viewed negatively or as deviant. An analysis of research on attitudes toward marijuana use finds that negative views of its use and its users have declined but have not disappeared (Reid, 2020). Recent survey data finds that 54% of U.S. adults believe that marijuana harms society (Brenan, 2024a). Overall, the case of marijuana illustrates the complex relationship between crime, deviance, and norms.