Record-High 50% of Americans Favor Legalizing Marijuana Use

[mofeta]

The well-known polling company Gallup released their latest numbers on public opinion regarding the legalization of weed.


Here is a abridged version of the press release:

A record-high 50% of Americans now say the use of marijuana should be made legal, up from 46% last year. Forty-six percent say marijuana use should remain illegal.

When Gallup first asked about legalizing marijuana, in 1969, 12% of Americans favored it, while 84% were opposed. Support remained in the mid-20s in Gallup measures from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, but has crept up since, passing 30% in 2000 and 40% in 2009 before reaching the 50% level in this year's Oct. 6-9 annual Crime survey.

A Gallup survey last year found that 70% favored making it legal for doctors to prescribe marijuana in order to reduce pain and suffering. Americans have consistently been more likely to favor the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes than to favor its legalization generally.

Support for legalizing marijuana is directly and inversely proportional to age, ranging from 62% approval among those 18 to 29 down to 31% among those 65 and older. Liberals are twice as likely as conservatives to favor legalizing marijuana. And Democrats and independents are more likely to be in favor than are Republicans.

More men than women support legalizing the drug. Those in the West and Midwest are more likely to favor it than those in the South.

Bottom Line

Support for legalizing marijuana has been increasing over the past several years, rising to 50% today -- the highest on record. If this current trend on legalizing marijuana continues, pressure may build to bring the nation's laws into compliance with the people's wishes.

This trend is irreversible in my opinion. If you plot a trend line on the graph they show for the last couple of years, and extend it for just a couple more years, the public support for outright legalization will be overwhelming.

 

[rives]

You posted this before I got the chance! Pretty soon we're going to drive this bus right up the Fed's ass.

 

[krunchbubble]

no they dont, this is a bullshit poll.....

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

according to a poll of 2.5 million people on americanselect.org says 70% want federal mmj to be legal, and over 50% want fully legal cannabis.

 

[igrowone]

i see this poll has been noticed out there in the web sphere
should be interesting hearing the spins, but seems legit
accuracy, of course, is open to debate
but the graph on the gallup site looks quite believable

 

[McSnappler]

Gallup: Record 50% of Americans Favor Legalizing Cannabis

Gallup: Record 50% of Americans Favor Legalizing Cannabis

A record-high 50% of Americans now say the use of marijuana should be made legal, up from 46% last year. Forty-six percent say marijuana use should remain illegal.

When Gallup first asked about legalizing marijuana, in 1969, 12% of Americans favored it, while 84% were opposed. Support remained in the mid-20s in Gallup measures from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, but has crept up since, passing 30% in 2000 and 40% in 2009 before reaching the 50% level in this year's Oct. 6-9 annual Crime survey.

More with charts at http://www.gallup.com/poll/150149/Record-High-Americans-Favor-Legalizing-Marijuana.aspx

 

[PondeLftHndSide]

New Gallup poll on MJ legalization... some halfway positive news, maybe?

New Gallup poll on MJ legalization... some halfway positive news, maybe?

As the Feds ramp up their crackdown on MMJ, nationwide support for full-scale cannabis legalization hits a bit of a milestone - 50%. So says the latest Gallup Poll.

One of the first news stories I've read for a while that didn't make me feel like breathing into a paper bag.

 

[rick shaw]

Less then 40% of eligible voters actually vote. Sad

 

[entheogen]

This is basically the same information...but I thought the video was interesting and worth posting http://fieldnotes.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/17/8370150-support-for-legalizing-pot-hits-all-time-high

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Babysteps, but we are gonna get there eventually...

 

[MadBuddhaAbuser]

Less then 40% of eligible voters actually vote. Sad

more like pathetic when you consider we could actually do something about these bullshit laws

"while gallup polls are nice, there is an ACTUAL BILL in committee now to decriminalize pot on a federal level HR 2306.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-2306

H.R. 2306: Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2011

112th Congress: 2011-2012

To limit the application of Federal laws to the distribution and consumption of marihuana, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Barney Frank [D-MA4] Rep. Ron Paul

Status: This bill is in the first step in the legislative process. Explanation: Introduced bills and resolutions first go to committees that deliberate, investigate, and revise them before they go to general debate. The majority of bills and resolutions never make it out of committee. [Last Updated: Sep 22, 2011 6:18AM]


in order to make it out of committee, we must contact these members---

Majority Members (Republican)
F. James (Jim) Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-WI) [Chairman] 202-225-5101 202-225-3190 http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/email_zip.htm
Louie Gohmert (R-TX) 202-225-3035 202-226-1230 http://gohmert.house.gov/Contact/
Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) 202-225-5431 202-225-9681 http://goodlatte.house.gov/contact/index.shtml
Dan Lungren (R-CA) 202-225-5716 202-226-1298 https://lungren.house.gov//index.cfm?sectionid=84&sec …
J. Randy Forbes (R-VA) 202-225-6365 202-226-1170 http://randyforbes.house.gov/Contact/ZipAuth.htm
Ted Poe (R-TX) 202-225-6565 202-225-5547 http://poe.house.gov/contact/contactform.htm
Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) 202-225-7751 202-225-5629 https://chaffetz.house.gov/contact/email-me.shtml
Tim Griffin (R-AR) 202-225-2506 202-225-5903 https://griffin.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
Tom Marino (R-PA) 202-225-3731 202-225-9594 https://marino.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
Trey Gowdy (R-SC) 202-225-6030 202-226-1177 http://gowdy.house.gov/Contact/
Sandy Adams (R-FL) 202-225-2706 202-226-6299 http://adams.house.gov/Contact/
Ben Quayle (R-AZ) 202-225-3361 202-225-3462 https://quayle.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=58§i …


Minority Members (Democrats)
Member Name_ DC Phone -DC FAX- Contact Form
Bobby Scott (D-VA) [Ranking Member] 202-225-8351 202-225-8354 https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
Steve Cohen (D-TN) 202-225-3265 202-225-5663 http://cohen.house.gov/index.php?option=com_email_for …
Hank Johnson (D-GA) 202-225-1605 202-226-0691 https://hankjohnsonforms.house.gov/contact-form.shtml
Pedro Pierluisi (D-PR) 202-225-2615 202-225-2154 http://pierluisi.house.gov/english/contact-us.html
Judy Chu (D-CA) 202-225-5464 202-225-5467 https://forms.house.gov/chu/contact-form.shtml
Ted Deutch (D-FL) 202-225-3001 202-225-5974 https://deutchforms.house.gov/Forms/WriteYourRep/defa …
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) 202-225-7931 202-226-2052 http://wassermanschultz.house.gov/contact/email-me.sh …
Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) 202-225-3816 202-225-3317 http://www.jacksonlee.house.gov/Contact/
Mike Quigley (D-IL)202-225-4061 202-225-5603 https://forms.house.gov/quigley/contact-form.shtml

These fine folks represent the House Commitee on the Judiciary:Subcommitee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. This is where the decriminalization bill Ron Paul and Barney Frank introduced earlier this year is currently in "discussion". This bill will stall here if we do not contact these people fervently.


If you want to help, this would do alot more than a poll would."

 

[GP73LPC]

give a few more years

 

[Meraxes]

well if we have to rely on republicans from texas it wont even get to the floor

 

[MadBuddhaAbuser]

well if we have to rely on republicans from texas it wont even get to the floor

Id have to agree there except ron paul is a tex republican

 

[Smokin Joe]

1 major problem I have run into. A lot of folks do not register to vote that are for mmj or total legalization. They do not want to be on jury duty. I tell them that if called tell the folks asking questions that you are racist and think all criminal's should be put to death with out a trial. If that don't get you dis qualified surely you can come up with more lies to tell them. They can't take your right to vote over that. Draw a swastika on your fore head. That will do it i'm sure

 

[KSP]

well if we have to rely on republicans from texas it wont even get to the floor

Right on. I predict an Illinois Democrat will be the force for positive change in this matter.

 

[Darth Fader]

Right on. I predict an Illinois Democrat will be the force for positive change in this matter.

Who's that? This last one hasn't been much help.

 

[KSP]

 

[nukklehead]

Who's that? This last one hasn't been much help.

no kiddin where are you coming from.. durbin is a "DICK"
wants to stop tobacco chewing in the world series.. like we dont
have other problems

not sayin others from the "GREAT STATE OF ILLINOIS" dont have there own issues but come the fuck on.. next to california we are the most
fucked up state in the union.. yeah... follow illinois path to greatness...
Cellinis goin down.. everything about the state of ill. is fucked up..

enjoy.. i will be moving soon

 

[kmk420kali]

1 major problem I have run into. A lot of folks do not register to vote that are for mmj or total legalization. They do not want to be on jury duty. I tell them that if called tell the folks asking questions that you are racist and think all criminal's should be put to death with out a trial. If that don't get you dis qualified surely you can come up with more lies to tell them. They can't take your right to vote over that. Draw a swastika on your fore head. That will do it i'm sure

Voter Registration is not the only place they get names from-- Also DMV Records--
The quickest way to get sent home, would be to wear a shirt that simply says, "Jury Nullification"--