How Generations View Marijuana Legalization and its Uses
Marijuana has been a popular medicinal plant for centuries but has received a bad rap because of its intoxicating properties. While CBD and other substances from this plant can cure a wide range of diseases, it can also put a person to euphoric highs, making it highly addictive. Because of these two opposing properties of cannabis, as potent medicine and an addictive drug, people have differing views on the plant.
How Different Generations View Cannabis
Every generation has a collective experience on a particular social aspect, including how their peers view marijuana.
- Silent Generation– Known as the most conservative on the list, Americans aged 75 and older are the most intolerant to marijuana legalization, with 33% of them opposing cannabis legalization, according to a Pew Research Center survey. The parents of this demographic had taught them that marijuana is highly intoxicating and addictive. The Marijuana Act of 1937 — the law that classified marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug and prohibited the use and sale of cannabis and industrial hemp — was passed during their generation.
- Baby Boomers – The generation born after the second world war roughly aged 55 to 74 constitute a sizeable portion of cannabis users and generally favor its legalization. Pew found that 54% of this demographic agree of legalizing cannabis. A survey conducted by Eaze, a medical cannabis delivery app, in California revealed that that shows that Boomers are the fastest growing group of cannabis consumers. They are also the ones who spend the most money on cannabis every month at $95.04 per person, primarily for medical purposes especially for relieving arthritis and chronic pain.
- Generation X – Around 63% of this generation, now middle-aged adults between ages 38 to 54, favour medical marijuana legalization. However, they consume less than the Boomers on cannabis-related products, spending an average of $89.14 per Gen Xer every month.
- Millennials– This group of younger adults born between ages 18 to 37 makes up the largest marijuana consumer group of any generation, according to Eaze. Over two-thirds of them (71%) favor legalization of medical cannabis. And even though this demographic spend less money on marijuana per person than older generations (mainly because of smaller income), they are the most vocal supporters and promoters of the plant.
- Generation Z–Even though most of the Gen-Zers are banned by law from using cannabis, data collected from this generation showed that they are following the footsteps of Millennials in their view about marijuana. Coming of age when 33 states have legalized marijuana, many from this group have seen their parents or older siblings vaping CBD oil or using smoking cannabis.
Public opinion of marijuana has changed considerably after the generations see and experience the health benefits of the plant. Now, even those who were vehemently opposing the plant’s legalization are starting to change their minds.
