Where does public opinion stand on legal marijuana?

Key facts

• New York legalized marijuana five years ago, with the anniversary marked in late March.
• The NY1 segment says 24 states now allow legal marijuana.
• Public opinion has shifted significantly toward legalization over the years.
• Legal dispensaries continue to face competition from illegal cannabis shops.
• One guest cited a New York cannabis market worth about $3.3 billion last year.
• The segment listed 95 legal dispensaries in Manhattan and 78 in Brooklyn.
• Queens was said to have 14 legal dispensaries, the Bronx 20, and Staten Island 13.
• Enforcement against illegal shops appears to have slowed compared with earlier city crackdowns.
• Organizers in Washington Square Park are again raising concerns about cleanup after 4/20 gatherings.

Q&A

Q: Where does public opinion stand on legal marijuana?
A: The segment says public opinion has moved sharply toward legalization, with supporters now outnumbering opponents.

Q: Has legalization solved the cannabis market in New York?
A: No. Legal businesses still compete with illegal shops that remain easy to find in many neighborhoods.

Q: Why are legal dispensaries struggling?
A: Operators say regulation, compliance burdens, and red tape make it hard for small legal businesses to compete.

Q: How large is the New York cannabis market?
A: The discussion cited a market of about $3.3 billion last year.

Q: What remains one of the biggest problems?
A: The continued presence of illegal sellers, even as the legal market expands.

Five years after New York legalized marijuana, public opinion appears to be firmly moving in one direction: more Americans now support legalization, and legal cannabis is no longer a fringe issue in public debate.

That was one of the main takeaways from NY1’s Morning People segment on April 20, which used the 4/20 milestone to revisit where marijuana legalization stands in New York and across the country.

The hosts noted that while New York’s fifth anniversary of legalization actually passed at the end of March, April 20 was the right moment to ask a simple question: what changed, and what still has not?

According to the discussion, national attitudes have shifted dramatically over time. The segment referenced polling showing that supporters of legalization now outnumber opponents, with many Americans backing at least medical marijuana even if some remain hesitant about full recreational access.

But in New York City, legalization has not produced a clean, orderly market.

Instead, legal dispensaries often find themselves competing directly with illegal cannabis shops operating just blocks away. The hosts described a familiar city reality: one licensed store trying to follow the rules while an illegal seller nearby openly advertises product with little fear of immediate consequences.

That tension has become one of the biggest frustrations for legal business owners. Guests on NY1 said small operators face heavy compliance requirements, extensive regulation, and layers of red tape that make it difficult to run a lawful dispensary in the city.

At the same time, marijuana has become serious business. The segment cited a New York cannabis market worth about $3.3 billion last year. Even so, the legal footprint remains uneven across the five boroughs.

According to the figures discussed on air, Manhattan has 95 legal dispensaries, Brooklyn has 78, Queens has 14, the Bronx has 20, and Staten Island has 13.

What remains unclear is the true number of illegal sellers still operating across the city. The hosts suggested that enforcement has backed off compared with earlier crackdowns, when city officials regularly highlighted shop closures and seizures.

The result is a mixed report card for legalization in New York: public opinion is increasingly supportive, the legal market is growing, but illegal sales remain deeply embedded in everyday city life.

The segment also included a reminder tied to 4/20 gatherings in Washington Square Park, where organizers are asking people not only to celebrate, but also to clean up afterward — a small but telling symbol of the broader issue: legalization may be mainstream now, but New York is still figuring out how to manage it.

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