Gallup poll: vast majority of Americans support cannabis legalization … again

By Nina Zdinjak

According to a new Gallup poll released Thursday, the number of Americans who believe marijuana should be legally available has hit a record high for the second year in a row. The number is the same as last year, which is the highest percentage or highest support ever revealed in a Gallup national poll.

For more than five decades, Gallup has seen growing support for cannabis legalization, noting that the most noticeable increases occurred in the 2000s and 2010s. In 2013, a majority of Americans, for that first time legalization supported in stark contrast to 1969 when Gallup first examined the subject and only 12% of Americans were in favor.

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As in the previous year, a remarkable majority of American adults in the major subgroups by gender, age, income, and education endorsed the legalization of cannabis. However, clear differences are seen according to political parties and religions.

While most Democrats (83%) and politically independent (71%) support legalization, republican are almost equally divided on this question (50% for, 49% against).

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“Weekly and semi-regular church attendants are also divided on this issue, while those who rarely or never attend broadly support the legalization of marijuana,” Gallup polls said.

“There is no buyer loyalty from the American people. In the era of legalization at the state level, voter support for this issue has grown rapidly – an indication that these policy changes have been successful and meet the wishes and expectations of voters. ”NORML Managing Director Erik Altieri said. “Today, voters of all ages and in virtually every region of the country agree that marijuana should be legal. We have a mandate from the American people and we intend to ensure that elected officials abide by it. “

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and was republished with permission.