Americans think drinking underage is a bigger deal than smoking marijuana.
A recent YouGov poll asked 1,000 Americans how “serious” it is if an 18-year-old indulges in various mind-altering substances, including alcohol and marijuana.
Asked, “How serious of an issue do you feel it is if an 18 year old drinks alcohol?” 31 percent responded it is “very serious” while 33 percent responded it is “somewhat serious” if an 18-year-old drinks alcohol.
A total of 64 percent responded that an 18-year-old drinking alcohol is either a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” issue.
Only 59 percent of those polled, however, responded that an 18-year-old smoking marijuana is a “very serious” (30 percent) or “somewhat serious” (29 percent) issue.
The lax attitude towards marijuana is also seen in regards to the issue of marijuana legalization.
A slight majority of Americans polled (52 percent) responded that marijuana should be legalized, compared to 34 percent who responded that marijuana should not be legalized.
The YouGov poll was conducted from Dec. 19-17 via Web-based interviews. The margin of error is ± 4.6 percent.