Parents in support of marijuana legalization still think there should be restrictions and age limits on the plant.
A new survey by The Partnership at Drugfree.org revealed most parents that support marijuana legalization believe the "smoking age" should be 21, according to a press release.
About half of all parents have admitted to smoking marijuana at some point in their lives.
The surveyed parents also said they thought smoking the substance in public places should be prohibited.
Forty percent of adults say they are in favor of legalizing marijuana, but most of them oppose recreational use among teenagers.
"The reality is that marijuana is now legalized for recreational use in the states of Colorado and Washington and it's clear that society's views on marijuana are evolving dramatically," Steve Pasierb, President and CEO of The Partnership at Drugfree.org. said.
"This new research provides richer insight into what today's parents believe about marijuana, their thoughts on legalization and the risks it may pose to adolescents. The data bring to life the fact that parents - including the large number who favor legalization - have serious expectations that legal marijuana will be regulated and restricted to protect kids and teens. Those expectations far exceed how legal marijuana is being implemented. So the fact remains, whether marijuana is legal or not, much more needs to be done to protect the health of our children," he said.
The survey found 90 percent of parents living in states like Colorado and Washington where marijuana has been legalized believe "marijuana should be sold only through licensed growers and sellers and not in places like convenience stores, grocery stores or newsstands."
Ninety percent also believe the substance should be restricted to minors the same way alcohol is, and it should even be illegal to provide the drug to underage kids at home.
Over 80 percent of surveyed parents said advertising marijuana should be banned.
"What is especially notable is the extremely high level of support for a wide array of strict marijuana regulations to protect children after legalization," Scott Kotchko, pollster and Vice President of Whitman Insight Strategies, who fielded the survey, said. "Many of these people voted to legalize marijuana in Colorado or Washington - and are very clearly telling us that they expect authorities to put a comprehensive regulatory system in place."
