Datasets Society · not part of the score
Is using marijuana morally wrong?
Pew Research Center · surveyed January to May 2025
Laws follow what people believe, and in 2025 the Pew Research Center asked adults in 25 countries whether using marijuana is morally acceptable, morally unacceptable, or not a moral issue.[1] The share who call it morally wrong runs from 91% in Indonesia, 83% in Nigeria and 82% in Türkiye down to 19% in Canada, 23% in the United States and 24% in Australia. The median country sits near half.
The three countries at the top treat cannabis as a crime, Indonesia with death still possible for aggravated sale, while Canada, at the bottom, has allowed it since its Cannabis Act of 2018. The survey cannot say which came first, the law or the belief. The opinion chart sets the answers beside each country’s score, and for one country over half a century see Gallup’s question in the United States.
- File here
- pew-marijuana-morality-2026.csv
- of 220 places covered
- 25
- years in the file
- 2025
- the median country
- 52%
Says marijuana is immoral, on the map
The stronger the blue, the more adults say using marijuana is morally unacceptable. Only 25 countries were surveyed; the rest are hatched. Select a country for its profile.
17% acceptable · 26% not a moral issue · 1,001 people asked
31% acceptable · 45% not a moral issue · 1,829 people asked
17% acceptable · 18% not a moral issue · 1,053 people asked
37% acceptable · 42% not a moral issue · 1,024 people asked
21% acceptable · 26% not a moral issue · 1,006 people asked
31% acceptable · 42% not a moral issue · 1,006 people asked
11% acceptable · 32% not a moral issue · 1,010 people asked
15% acceptable · 22% not a moral issue · 1,020 people asked
4% acceptable · 11% not a moral issue · 3,545 people asked
2% acceptable · 6% not a moral issue · 1,022 people asked
15% acceptable · 22% not a moral issue · 998 people asked
21% acceptable · 26% not a moral issue · 1,007 people asked
7% acceptable · 23% not a moral issue · 1,006 people asked
4% acceptable · 19% not a moral issue · 1,049 people asked
12% acceptable · 30% not a moral issue · 1,050 people asked
45% acceptable · 20% not a moral issue · 1,000 people asked
2% acceptable · 13% not a moral issue · 1,037 people asked
25% acceptable · 23% not a moral issue · 1,002 people asked
23% acceptable · 26% not a moral issue · 1,570 people asked
6% acceptable · 12% not a moral issue · 1,042 people asked
26% acceptable · 32% not a moral issue · 1,001 people asked
17% acceptable · 22% not a moral issue · 1,001 people asked
2% acceptable · 15% not a moral issue · 1,048 people asked
32% acceptable · 31% not a moral issue · 1,006 people asked
24% acceptable · 52% not a moral issue · 3,605 people asked
Pew Research Center, 2025 survey of 25 countries, published March 2026. Moral views are shown for context and are not part of the score.
Lowest · Says marijuana is immoral
- Canada19%2025
- United States23%2025
- Australia24%2025
Country by country
Each place's latest figure, as on its profile. Select a heading to sort.
| Further figures | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ArgentinaSouth America | 52%call it immoral | 17% acceptable · 26% not a moral issue · 1,001 people asked | 2025 |
| AustraliaOceania | 24%call it immoral | 31% acceptable · 45% not a moral issue · 1,829 people asked | 2025 |
| BrazilSouth America | 63%call it immoral | 17% acceptable · 18% not a moral issue · 1,053 people asked | 2025 |
| CanadaNorth America | 19%call it immoral | 37% acceptable · 42% not a moral issue · 1,024 people asked | 2025 |
| FranceEurope | 51%call it immoral | 21% acceptable · 26% not a moral issue · 1,006 people asked | 2025 |
| GermanyEurope | 25%call it immoral | 31% acceptable · 42% not a moral issue · 1,006 people asked | 2025 |
| GreeceEurope | 52%call it immoral | 11% acceptable · 32% not a moral issue · 1,010 people asked | 2025 |
| HungaryEurope | 60%call it immoral | 15% acceptable · 22% not a moral issue · 1,020 people asked | 2025 |
| IndiaAsia | 81%call it immoral | 4% acceptable · 11% not a moral issue · 3,545 people asked | 2025 |
| IndonesiaAsia | 91%call it immoral | 2% acceptable · 6% not a moral issue · 1,022 people asked | 2025 |
| IsraelAsia | 44%call it immoral | 15% acceptable · 22% not a moral issue · 998 people asked | 2025 |
| ItalyEurope | 50%call it immoral | 21% acceptable · 26% not a moral issue · 1,007 people asked | 2025 |
| JapanAsia | 70%call it immoral | 7% acceptable · 23% not a moral issue · 1,006 people asked | 2025 |
| KenyaAfrica | 77%call it immoral | 4% acceptable · 19% not a moral issue · 1,049 people asked | 2025 |
| MexicoNorth America | 56%call it immoral | 12% acceptable · 30% not a moral issue · 1,050 people asked | 2025 |
| NetherlandsEurope | 32%call it immoral | 45% acceptable · 20% not a moral issue · 1,000 people asked | 2025 |
| NigeriaAfrica | 83%call it immoral | 2% acceptable · 13% not a moral issue · 1,037 people asked | 2025 |
| PolandEurope | 43%call it immoral | 25% acceptable · 23% not a moral issue · 1,002 people asked | 2025 |
| South AfricaAfrica | 48%call it immoral | 23% acceptable · 26% not a moral issue · 1,570 people asked | 2025 |
| South KoreaAsia | 80%call it immoral | 6% acceptable · 12% not a moral issue · 1,042 people asked | 2025 |
| SpainEurope | 37%call it immoral | 26% acceptable · 32% not a moral issue · 1,001 people asked | 2025 |
| SwedenEurope | 59%call it immoral | 17% acceptable · 22% not a moral issue · 1,001 people asked | 2025 |
| TürkiyeAsia | 82%call it immoral | 2% acceptable · 15% not a moral issue · 1,048 people asked | 2025 |
| United KingdomEurope | 35%call it immoral | 32% acceptable · 31% not a moral issue · 1,006 people asked | 2025 |
| United StatesNorth America | 23%call it immoral | 24% acceptable · 52% not a moral issue · 3,605 people asked | 2025 |
What is counted, and how the file was made
Adults were asked whether using marijuana is morally acceptable, morally unacceptable, or not a moral issue. Nationally representative samples of about 1,000 people or more in each of 25 countries.
Transcribed by hand on 20 October 2026 from the "Total" row of each country in the topline PDF (question 17g, "Using marijuana"). The columns are the per cent of adults answering morally acceptable, morally unacceptable, not a moral issue, depends on the situation (volunteered) and don't know or refused, and the number of people asked.
- United States: In the United States the question said “morally wrong” instead of “morally unacceptable”.
The file belongs to Pew Research Center and keeps its terms; cite the publisher when you use it.