Gallup Finds Most Americans Still Want to Legalize Pot

According to a Gallup
poll conducted last month, most Americans still support
marijuana legalization, although the number is down from last year:
51 percent in favor now, compared to 58 percent in 2013. The new
number is close to what other recent surveys
have found.

Gallup speculates about possible reasons for the drop in support
between 2013 and 2014:

Last year’s finding of 58% in favor was recorded as Colorado was
preparing to become the first state to implement a law
decriminalizing the use of small amounts of marijuana for
recreational use. Although the law passed in November 2012, it did
not go into effect until January 2014. Americans may have warmed
some to proponents’ arguments in 2013 in the ongoing discussion
around the Colorado law. More recently, Colorado has been in the
news over the sale of marijuana-infused edibles—everything from
brownies to gummy bears—and the risk they pose to children,
possibly sparking public concern. Also, a year ago, proponents in
California were poised to launch a ballot initiative for 2014 to
legalize marijuana in the Golden State, adding to the sense of
momentum for legalization, but later decided to wait until 2016 for
fear of losing at the polls, as they did in 2010. The relative lack
of attention to new legalization initiatives throughout 2014 may
have caused public support to subside.

Gallup adds that “as long as support hovers around the 50%
mark, it will be difficult for proponents to promote legalization
beyond the more Democratic and liberal-oriented states.” I’m not
sure about that, since 55 percent of Colorado voters approved
legalization in 2012, when Gallup put national support at 50
percent, and 52 percent of Alaskans went for legalization on
Tuesday. Colorado and Alaska are
purple and red, respectively, so I don’t think they qualify as
“the more Democratic and liberal-oriented states,” although both
have libertarian streaks.