The vast majority of Gen Z adults in the UK believe cannabis should be legalised, according to a report.
Four out of five respondents believe that the medicine should be legal without restrictions or be available in authorized stores. Only 20 percent believe that using cannabis should remain illegal.
While members of Generation Z include those born between 1997 and 2012, 63 percent of those who reached voting age thought cannabis should be legal, but only available through licensed stores. Another 17 percent thought it should be legal without restrictions.
About 47 percent of Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) thought cannabis should only be legally available in licensed stores, and another 5 percent said it should be legal without restrictions.
The picture was less clear among Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) and Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996), who had a more liberal outlook.
While members of Generation Z include those born between 1997 and 2012, 63 percent of those of voting age thought cannabis should be legal but only available through licensed stores (file image) .
About 47 percent of Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) thought cannabis should only be legally available in licensed stores, and another 5 percent said it should be legal without restrictions (file image)
Overall, Generation X agreed 58 percent that cannabis should be legalized, while 67 percent of Millennials thought the same.
The figures were published by the National Center for Social Research as part of its ‘Society Watch’ report for 2024: ‘Understanding the new generation of voters’.
Other findings on law and order suggested that Generation Z was less likely to respect authority than previous generations.
Only 16 percent thought the law should always be obeyed, even when it is wrong, compared to 32 percent of adults overall.
And 43 percent considered it important to express their moral convictions through civil disobedience if necessary; only a third (33 percent) of older generations agreed.
The authors said: ‘Generation Z has been the subject of debates in public spaces ranging from the World Economic Forum to advice columns, labeled as anything from illiberal to woke.
“Generation Z’s views on law and order differ markedly from those of previous generations.
‘Like their Baby Boomer grandparents in the 1960s, Generation Z finds itself at odds with previous generations on personal freedoms, civil liberties, and the role of government in their lives.
‘Our data shows that Generation Z has strong moral convictions, which they are willing to express loudly and confidently.
‘They are willing to break laws they don’t agree with and make their voices heard through protests.
‘They also take a liberal approach to personal freedoms on issues such as drug policy, and tend not to support harsh and punitive criminal justice policies.
“Our analysis shows that Generation Z’s more liberal views on authority and individual freedom are likely to stand the test of time.”
The report was based on data from the British Social Attitudes survey, which has tracked public attitudes for more than 40 years.
Lovisa Moller, director of analysis at NatCen and co-author of Society Watch 2024, said: “A generational perspective helps explain how Britain is changing (or not changing).
“By looking at birth cohorts, we can help explain views about the relative importance of social order and individual freedom, for example.
“If current trends persist, Generation Z will be a generation that values personal and civil liberties more than any other generation today.”