The results of a poll conducted among Kansans indicate that there is still strong support in the state for medical marijuana, even though some of this support has waned.
It is one of only a few states in the USA that still prohibits cannabis for medical purposes. Laura Kelly and her administration have repeatedly worked to change this. Kansas’ House of Representatives approved medical cannabis bills in 2022, and then again in 2023. But the bills failed to advance in the Senate.
This year, another attempt was made with the introduction SB 294 which would allow the cultivation, the processing, the distribution, the sale, and the use of medical marijuana products. SB 294 has been referred back to the Committee on Federal and State Affairs since March and is not progressing.
House Bill 24,05 was also sent to the Committee, with the exact same outcome. It dealt with regulations of adult-use pot cultivation, manufacture, possession, taxation, and sales.
While some Kansas lawmakers continue to duke it out on the issues, the attitudes of the people they represent are pretty clear — the majority support medical and recreational legalisation.
The Kansas Speaks Fall 2025 Statewide Public Opinion Survey, which involved 526 adult residents age 18 and older, found 70.4% of respondents strongly or somewhat supported legalization of medical marijuana in general, with only 14.2% opposed. A further 65.4% said they were very or somewhat likely vote for candidates who support medical marijuana legalization.
The majority of respondents also supported the legalization of recreational marijuana with 58.8% in favor and only 24.5% against.
Looking back at 2024’s Kansas Speaks survey, 72.9% of respondents strongly or somewhat supported legalization of medical marijuana in general, while 12% opposed — so this year’s results indicate a drop in support. 60% of survey respondents indicated that they would be “highly likely” or “somewhat probable” to vote in favor of a candidate supporting medical marijuana legalization. The results for this year show a rise.
Last year, 22.3% opposed legalizing recreational marijuana. 61.3% supported it.
Kansas Speaks Statewide Public Opinion Survey Fall 2025 results can be found here.