Support Grows for Legalizing Marijuana

Support for legalizing marijuana continues to grow, with 44 percent now saying it should not be against the law to use it while 54 percent still say it should remain illegal, according to a Gallup poll conducted Oct. 1-4.

In 2006, the number supporting legalization was 36 percent with 60 percent opposing. Four years earlier, 31 percent favored legalization while 64 percent did not.

Gallup issued the poll as the Obama administration moved on a narrower issue regarding use of marijuana by reversing federal policy and ordering prosecutors and federal drug agents not to arrest people who are allowed to sell or use medical marijuana under the laws of their states.

Gallup says 42 percent of those surveyed believed that marijuana should be legalized so that states could tax it and raise revenue. Fifty-six percent disagree. A California assemblyman introduced a bill earlier this year that would do just that, putting use of marijuana on the same footing as alcohol. Some efforts have begun to put a legalization measure on the state ballot in 2010.

Support for legalizing and taxing the sale of marijuana is highest in the West where 53 percent favor the idea and 46 percent oppose it. Forty-four percent in the East favor the idea compared to 55 percent who do not. Legalization is rejected by 20 points or more in the South and Midwest.

Democrats favor legalization by 54 percent to 45 percent, independents are almost equally divided, and Republicans are opposed by 70 percent to 28 percent.