National Survey Finds 62% of Americans Support Legalizing Marijuana
Survey results released Monday by the Pew Research Center show a strong majority of American adults support legalizing marijuana.
The national survey of 1,754 U.S. adults found 62% think marijuana should be made legal, while only about one-third of Americans (34%) think it should remain illegal.
“A growing majority of Americans are ready to end the failed policy of marijuana prohibition and move on”, says Steve Hawkins, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project. “They see states regulating marijuana for medical and adult use, and they recognize it is a much more effective approach. Laws that treat cannabis consumers like criminals and disproportionately impact communities of color are steadily losing popularity across the U.S.”
Hawkins continues; “Voters are steadily moving in one direction on this issue, and elected officials are taking notice. States are reevaluating their old prohibition laws and starting to plan their exit strategies. It is time for Congress to do the same and end prohibition at the federal level.”