Study Shows Americans Find Cannabis Less Dangerous than Sugar

A recent study from NBC and The Wall Street Journal reveals that Americans find cannabis to be less dangerous than sugar.

NBC explains that 49 percent of people who were polled believe that tobacco is the most dangerous substance, 24 percent said alcohol and 15 percent said sugar. Only eight percent found cannabis to be the most dangerous, three percent said they were all equally dangerous and one percent was not sure.

These results are not surprising, given the recent trend towards cannabis reform in the United States as a whole. Many are beginning to recognize that while tobacco and alcohol can be harmful and addictive, and sugar can cause health problems, cannabis can be used medicinally and is benign as a recreational substance.

The study also shows that 60 percent of those polled favor legalization, which is up five percent from 2014. But even more surprising than that is the shift in perceptions of dangerous substances. Alcohol and tobacco have been considered less harmful than cannabis for a long time, and it is only just recently that Americans have begun to fully understand the dangers of overconsumption in sugar.

Recent studies have found similar results, such as the facts that many find cannabis to be a suitable substitute for alcohol, and that teen cannabis use is declining in legal areas.

As the tide of cannabis acceptance turns in the U.S. and more everyday folks come out in favor of legalization, it is no surprise that these studies are becoming more common. Despite any obstacles faced by legal cannabis, it is clear that most Americans realize it is not a harmful substance.