Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
About seven-in-ten Americans say health insurance companies have too much influence on public debates about health policy. About half say health scientists don’t have enough influence.
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Around nine-in-ten U.S. adults say marijuana should be legal either for medical or recreational use. Just 12% say the drug should not be legal at all.
The joint federal-state health insurance program covered 71.4 million Americans as of January 2025.
At least eight-in-ten Americans who experienced extreme weather say climate change contributed a lot or a little.
Nationally, 60% of Americans say stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost, while 38% say they cost too many jobs and hurt the economy.
About half of U.S. adults say healthiness of food is important when deciding what to eat. But taste and cost matter more.
Just over half of U.S. adults (53%) say they’ve gotten neither the flu shot nor the updated COVID-19 vaccine since last August.
A majority of Americans ages 21 and older (57%) say their own alcohol use does not increase their risk of serious physical health problems.
Nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults (72%) say the COVID-19 pandemic did more to drive the country apart than to bring it together.
Nearly six-in-ten Americans (58%) say the U.S. benefits from its membership in the World Health Organization.
Among Republicans, 56% think climate policies usually hurt the U.S. economy. By contrast, 52% of Democrats say they usually help.
Public views are tied to how these technologies would be used and what constraints would be in place.
Majorities across 20 publics say government investments in scientific research are worthwhile and express a lot or some confidence in scientists to do what is right for the public.
Majorities of Americans say the United States should prioritize the development of renewable energy sources and take steps toward the country becoming carbon neutral by the year 2050. But just 31% want to phase out fossil fuels completely, and many foresee unexpected problems in a major transition to renewable energy.
Majorities say scientific research on gene editing is a misuse – rather than an appropriate use – of technology. But public acceptance of gene editing for babies depends on how it will be used, and views often differ by age and religion.
