Two Thirds of Americans Now Support Legalizing Cannabis

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]T[/dropcap]wo out of three Americans now support legalizing cannabis, which is a new record and a continuing trend of support for the industry.

According to a Gallup poll published this week, 66 percent of Americans supported legalizing cannabis. The new record statistic continues a trend over the last three years of continuous growth in support. Cannabis legalization is a hot topic as states pass bills or head to November ballot season with medical and recreational cannabis legalization choices to make. The poll collected opinions from 1,019 people across the United States randomly, asking if “the use of marijuana should be made legal or not.” Only two people state they had no opinion from that group.

Legalization grew by double digits in three areas of the country—the East, Midwest and the South. The western part of the U.S. only saw a nine percent increase of support but had 56 percent support for legalization in the 2009-2010 polls. Previously, states in the midwest and south both hovered about 40 percent, but now had 65 percent of the population now supporting legalization. The eastern U.S. increased from 46 percent in support to 67.

An aging Baby Boomer generation mixed with Gen X and Millennial acceptance of cannabis consumption may be responsible for the continuing growth of support for legalization cannabis. Historically in the Gallup polls, legalization of cannabis has risen slowly but steadily since the first poll in 1969, where only 12 percent of those polled favor legalization. Support barely increased but held steady, and then in 2001 had only grown to 34 percent. After the new millennium began support grew another 30 points over the next 18 years.

The rise in support is also continuing regardless of party. According to the poll, 53 percent of republicans favored legalization. Democrats continued their slow increase of support with 75 percent support, and independent voters reached 71 percent support.