Marijuana Legalization In The US: More Americans Support Legal Drug Use

More Americans are in support of legalizing marijuana than those who are not, according to the latest Gallup poll. There are nine states voting on marijuana reform on election day – Arkansas will have two marijuana measures on the ballot – and if Gallup’s Wednesday poll is any indication, then the chances of medical and recreational marijuana use passing on Nov. 8 are pretty high.

In 1969, when Gallup conducted the first marijuana poll, only 12 percent of Americans supported legalizing cannabis. However, the most recent poll showed 60 percent of Americans are in favor of legalized marijuana.

Although the latest poll is up by 29 percent compared to a poll in 2000, which marked the most significant surge in support (throughout the late 70s until 2000 weed support stayed around the 25 percent range), the polling service hasn’t been able to identify if support is stabilizing or just inching upward slowly since it hit reportedly hit 58 percent of support in 2013.

Not only did the poll also show that marijuana support was increasing throughout the states, but the breakdown of age demographics showed that most legal cannabis support came from adults ages 18 through 34 with 77 percent of people in favor of weed. However, the 35-to-54 age group wasn’t too far behind with 61 percent of adults supporting legalizing marijuana. There was even a spike in support for those ages 55 and up, who were in favor of legalizing marijuana use by 45 percent.

What may not be as surprising, though, is the poll’s big reveal of pro-marijuana supporters identifying with the Democrat and Independent parties.

The majority of supporters polled came from the independent group, with 70 percent support of legalizing marijuana, while Democrat supporters trailed closely behind with 67 percent in favor. Only 42 percent of Republicans were in favor of legalizing medical and/or recreational marijuana use.