Nearly half of Australians now support marijuana legalisation – up 15 percentage points this decade
Roy Morgan’s latest data shows 48% of Australians now support marijuana legalisation, up 15 percentage points over the past decade (from 33% in 2015 and 42% in 2019). Opposition has fallen to 41%, also down 15 points since 2015 (from 56% and 49% in 2019), while 11% remain undecided. The latest figures reflect a decisive shift in national sentiment towards legalisation.
Over 69,000 Australians were asked: "In your opinion should the smoking of marijuana be made legal - or remain illegal?" from April 2024 to March 2025.
Men are more inclined to back legalisation of marijuana, with 51% saying it should be legal (40% opposed) compared to 45% of women (42% opposed).
Majority of 18-to 49-year-olds support legalisation of marijuana
All Australians aged 18–49 now show majority support for legislation, 18–24-year-olds have seen support grow from 36% in 2015 to 50% in 2019 and now 54%, an 18-point gain over the decade. Support among 25–34-year-olds has surged from 34% in 2015 to 46% in 2019 and now 58%, a 24-point increase. Middle-aged groups are also shifting: 35–49-year-olds now show a majority in favour at 51%.
Marijuana Legalisation: Support vs Opposition by Age and Gender (2025)
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source Australia, Apr 24 - Mar 25 n=69,305 Base: Australians aged 14+.
Analysis of these subgroups over time shows support among 50–64-year-olds has risen 19 points to 48%, while opposition in this age group has fallen 18 points since 2019. Among those 65 and over, support has edged up slightly—from 33% in 2019 to 36% in 2025—yet this group continues to record the highest opposition at 54%.
Support for legalisation has risen notably among younger Australians: the 14–17 age group cohort’s backing has increased from about 26% in 2015 to 33% in 2025, though they remain more opposed than supportive—a sign of caution among future voters.
These trends underscore that Australians aged 18–49 remain the strongest advocates, while the youngest and oldest groups continue to approach the issue with greater caution.
Support for legalisation of marijuana is highest in the ACT and NT
Analysis shows support for the legalisation of marijuana now varies clearly by region, with both Australian territories in favour. The N.T leads with 57% in favour (35% opposed), closely followed by the ACT (which decriminalised personal possession and cultivation on 31 January 2020) at 56% in favour (36% opposed).
Marijuana Legalisation: Support vs Opposition by States and Territories (2025)
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source Australia, Apr 24 - Mar 25 n=69,305 Base: Australians aged 14+.
Tasmania shows strong backing at 52% (36% opposed), and Queensland records majority support at 51% (39% opposed). It’s worth noting that these are the only two states where the regional population is larger than the urban population.
Western Australia is nearing a majority in favour at 49% (39% opposed), while South Australia (47% support, 41% opposed), New South Wales (47% support, 42% opposed) and Victoria (46% support, 43% opposed) sit slightly below the national average.
Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says:
“Australia’s debate on marijuana legalisation continues to evolve. With nearly half of Australians now in favour, the national mood has shifted significantly over the past decade. While younger adults lead the charge for change, notable opposition remains, especially among older and teenage groups. International trends (including further US state legalisations) and local policy discussions, such as the ACT’s earlier reforms, continue to influence public attitudes. These results highlight how attitudes are diversifying across age cohorts as Australia considers its next steps.”
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Margin of Error
The margin of error to be allowed for in any estimate depends mainly on the number of interviews on which it is based. Margin of error gives indications of the likely range within which estimates would be 95% likely to fall, expressed as the number of percentage points above or below the actual estimate. Allowance for design effects (such as stratification and weighting) should be made as appropriate.
| Sample Size | Percentage Estimate |
| 40% – 60% | 25% or 75% | 10% or 90% | 5% or 95% | |
| 1,000 | ±3.0 | ±2.7 | ±1.9 | ±1.3 |
| 5,000 | ±1.4 | ±1.2 | ±0.8 | ±0.6 |
| 7,500 | ±1.1 | ±1.0 | ±0.7 | ±0.5 |
| 10,000 | ±1.0 | ±0.9 | ±0.6 | ±0.4 |
| 20,000 | ±0.7 | ±0.6 | ±0.4 | ±0.3 |
| 50,000 | ±0.4 | ±0.4 | ±0.3 | ±0.2 |
