More than 68 % of Americans support legalizing marijuana, maintaining the record high level reached last year. That’s according to a recent Gallup poll.
Over the last 50 years, Gallup has recorded increasing support for legalizing marijuana with notable increases in the 2000s and the 2010s. The majority of Americans supported legalization of marijuana in 2013, for the first time ever.
As noted in 2020, solid majorities of U.S. adults support legalizing marijuana in all of the major subgroups, gender, age, income and education.
However, substantial differences were identified along political party lines and religious affiliation.
Most Democrats and Independents support legalization, while Republicans are split 50/50 on the issue.
Church-goers tend to be split as well, but those who never attend church or do so infrequently, are more supportive of legalizing marijuana.
Check-out poll percentages here in Gallup’s article.
Watch Full Measure’s story: The United States of Weed.
My impression was that when we legalized it here in Washington State, we saw a sudden rise in homelessness and petty crime. Marijuana seems to be a de-motivator for many people who already lack direction in life, and pushes them over the edge and out of mainstream society. It’s like when you – in effect – de-criminalize shoplifting, you get a lot more of it.