All-Time High: Poll Finds 61 Percent Support Marijuana Legalization
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – A new poll released Friday finds more than six in 10 Americans are now supporting the legalization of marijuana.
The poll by The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research (.pdf) found 61 percent of those surveyed saying marijuana should be legalized.
Among those who support legalization, the AP found 33 percent want marijuana to be legal without restrictions. Meanwhile, 43 percent backed restrictions on purchase amounts, while 24 percent said marijuana should be legal only with a prescription.
While a majority in the poll backed marijuana legalization, very few people supported legalizing other drugs, such as cocaine and heroin. More than nine out of 10 respondents said those drugs should remain illegal.
According to The Washington Post, the AP poll indicates support for marijuana legalization is at an all-time high, beating a recent Gallup poll that showed 58 percent of adults backed legalization.
Pollsters also found Americans are concerned about drug abuse where they live. The AP found 62 percent surveyed said at least one type of substance abuse was a serious problem in their communities. More than 40 percent in the survey said they have a relative or close friend dealing with substance abuse.
The poll of 1,042 adults across the country was taken in February. It has a margin of error of plus / minus 3.9 percent.