Angus Reid poll: majority say legalize cannabis

Just Say Now:

A majority of Americans support legalizing marijuana according to a new poll from the respected Canadian pollster Angus Reid Public Opinion. The poll found that 55 percent of Americans adults support legalizing marijuana with 40 percent opposed.

Both Democrats (63%-33%) and Independents (61%-34%) were found to be strongly supportive of marijuana legalization, while Republicans (41%-56%) as a group remain opposed to the change.

There has been a modest increase in support for legalizing marijuana compared to 2009, when they last polled the American people about the issue. Angus Reid’s December 2009 poll found 53 percent of Americans in support of legalization with 43 percent opposed.

Angus Reid found significantly higher levels of support of marijuana legalization than the polling company Gallup. When Gallup last polled on the issue in late 2010 it found only 46 percent in support of legalizing marijuana with 50 percent opposed. Although the two polling firms found very different levels of overall support, according polling from both companies support for marijuana legalization has been increasing noticeably over the past few years.