New Pew Research Center Poll Finds 61% of American Voters Support Legalizing Marijuana
According to a new Pew Research Center (PRC) survey, more than six in 10 American voters support legalizing marijuana.
The survey, conducted in October and released today, finds that support for legalization has risen 4% from last year (57%), and has nearly doubled since 2000 (31%).
“As in the past, there are wide generational and partisan differences in views of marijuana legalization”, says Abigail Geiger from PRC . “Majorities of Millennials (70%), Gen Xers (66%) and Baby Boomers (56%) say the use of marijuana should be legal. Only among the Silent Generation does a greater share oppose (58%) than favor (35%) marijuana legalization.”
According to the poll, nearly seven in 10 Democrats say marijuana use should be legal, as do 65% of independents. By contrast, 43% of Republicans favor marijuana legalization, while 55% are opposed. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, those younger than 40 favor legalizing marijuana use, 62% to 38%. Republicans ages 40 to 64 are divided (48% say it should be legal, 49% illegal), while those 65 and older oppose marijuana legalization by more than two-to-one (67% to 30%).
Sizable majorities of Democrats and Democratic leaners younger than 40 (79%) and 40 to 64 (70%) favor marijuana legalization. Older Democrats – those 65 and older – are more divided (50% favor legalization, 42% oppose it).
The poll comes just a day after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that he’s rescinding the Obama-era Cole Memo which directs federal law enforcement to respect states’ marijuana legalization laws.
Victor Johnson
This is so aggravating. The majority of Americans support legalization and yet Sessions decides to rollback an Obama era guideline protecting state’s rights. What is going on? This is ridiculous. First we get a president that loses the popular vote and then we get a GOOD guideline rescinded against what the masses clearly want. How is this democracy? Where is the people’s power? What a joke. Anyways, keep up the good work here Anthony – keep on spreading the word and fighting the good fight!