A New Poll Shows Continues Support For Marijuana Reform Nationwide
By Erik Altieri, NORML Communications Coordinator
A new poll, conducted by Huffington Post and YouGov, has support for marijuana legalization at an astounding 59% amongst all Americans – the largest support yet recorded in a nationwide poll. Only 26% of respondents responded that marijuana should remain illegal.
The survey asked 1,000 U.S. adults their views on the legalization of marijuana and provided them four options to select from. The breakdown is as follows:
1) Marijuana should be legalized, taxed, and regulated like alcohol – 51%
2) Marijuana should be legalized but NOT taxed and regulated like alcohol – 8%
3) Marijuana should not be legalized – 26%
4) Not sure – 15%
These results show a continued upward trend in support for marijuana legalization in this country. Last year, Gallup recorded support out pacing opposition, 50% to 46%, for the first time in about four decades of polling on the question. Another survey by AngusReid had support for legalization as high as 56%. Worth noting in this recent data is that much of the country is still not comfortable with the unregulated “tomato” model of legalization and prefer regulations similar to alcohol by about 5 to 1 (52% to 8%).
The American people are quickly opening their eyes to the egregious failure that is our government’s war on cannabis. Win or lose, the three legalization initiatives on the ballot this November in Colorado, Washington, and Oregon, have elevated legalization to a mainstream debate and helped the ending of prohibition become an issue discussed in homes across the country.
We the people are ready to see smart and sensible reform to our marijuana laws. We will no longer stand idly by while we waste tens of millions of tax dollars on a failed policy that terrorizes our citizens and robs us of our civil liberties. Let’s Smoke the Vote this November and send a clear message to the federal government that these are the “Final Days of Prohibition.” If this latest poll is any indication, radical change will be coming to the United States’ marijuana policy, and much sooner than later.
View more information on this poll here.
Source: NORML
