It seems like every week there is a poll that shows overwhelming support for marijuana reform, especially for medical marijuana reform. Marijuana is medicine, proven by the virtually endless supply of studies and personal testimonies. More and more Americans have either used, or no someone that has used, marijuana for medical purposes everyday, which is taking away the stigma. A new Harris poll was released earlier this month, which found overwhelming support for marijuana legalization in America. Below are some of the highlights of the poll results:
Currently, four in five adults (81%) favor legalizing marijuana for medical use, up from 2011 when three quarters of Americans (74%) indicated the same. Meanwhile, half of Americans are supportive of legalizing marijuana for recreational use (49%), up from the two fifths (42%) who felt that way in 2011.
Nearly nine in ten Democrats and Independents are in favor of legalizing marijuana for medical treatment (87% & 86%, respectively) and over half support recreational use (58% & 55%, respectively)
While a majority – albeit a slimmer one – of Republicans also support the legalization medical marijuana (69% support, 23% oppose), a similar majority opposes legalizing marijuana for recreational use (27% support, 65% oppose).
As for who should be making the big legalization decision, 44% favor each state resolving the issue for itself, while 35% favor a single law handed down by the federal government.
When asked about the effects legalizing marijuana might have, expectations have not changed much since 2011. Then and now, three quarters of adults (75%) expect tax revenues will increase post legalization.
This poll will no doubt be followed by many more polls that show the same, or more favorable, results. But just because 81% support medical marijuana legalization, doesn’t mean that all 81% agree on the same form of medical marijuana legalization. I’d be curious to know how many support dispensaries, or the right to home cultivation, or what conditions and ailments would qualify to use medical marijuana.
