A Majority Of Americans Want Marijuana Legalized

These results are from the recent YouGov Poll -- done on December 16th and 17th of a random national sample of 1,000 adults, with a margin of error of 4.6 points. It shows that Americans are tired of the failed war on drugs -- especially concerning marijuana.

About 52% of the public would like to see marijuana be legalized, while only 34% say they would oppose legalization. A majority (53%) don't believe marijuana use leads to harder drugs, and two-thirds of the public (67%) say the government's efforts to enforce marijuana laws are not worth what those efforts cost.

The two charts below show the demographic percentages of those who want marijuana legalized and those who have tried marijuana before. The results are very interesting. Except for one group (those 18 to 29), the groups where a majority have tried marijuana also have a majority wanting it legalized -- and the groups where most have not tried marijuana want it to remain illegal. The 18 to 29 age group has a majority that has not tried marijuana, but a significant majority who wants to see it legalized.

This is not surprising to me. Those who have tried the gentle herb know that marijuana is not addictive, not dangerous, and not a gateway to hard drugs -- but produces only a gentle high with many beneficial results. But those who have not tried it tend to believe the ridiculous propaganda the government has put out for decades. That propaganda scares them, and they want to keep marijuana illegal.