PRINCETON, NJ — Gallup’s October Crime poll finds 44% of Americans in favor of making marijuana legal and 54% opposed. U.S. public support for legalizing marijuana was fixed in the 25% range from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, but acceptance jumped to 31% in 2000 and has continued to grow throughout this decade.
The highest level of support for decriminalizing the use of marijuana today is seen with self-described liberals, among whom 78% are in favor. In contrast, 72% of conservatives are opposed. Moderates are about evenly divided on whether the use of marijuana should be legal, although they tilt against it (51% vs. 46%).
Gallup also finds a generational rift on the issue, as 50% of those under 50 and 45% of those 50 to 64 say it should be legal, compared with 28% of seniors.
Public mores on legalization of marijuana have been changing this decade, and are now at their most tolerant in at least 40 years. If public support were to continue growing at a rate of 1% to 2% per year, as it has since 2000, the majority of Americans could favor legalization of the drug in as little as four years.
Americans are no more — and no less — in favor of legalizing marijuana when the issue is framed as a revenue-enhancement tool for state governments. Regardless of how the question is asked, 53% of Americans living in the West — encompassing California, where the issue could be on the ballot in 2010 — support legalization.
It’s not a question of if cannabis will be re-legalized; it is a question of when, where, and how. Stats guru Nate Silver has opined that overall support for re-legalization should top 60% by 2022/2023 independent of any other factors but the continuing movement of Baby Boomers into retirement age. However, we here at NORML don’t really want to see another 11 million arrests between now and then, so we urge all of you to contact your elected officials to help us prove Mr. Silver to be too pessimistic.
Rack one up for a “traditional conservative” who lives in the Midwest who favors all out decriminalization and ending marijuana prohibition… I am the oddest of all in the country… according to Gallop!
This is good news. Once we have a Gallup poll that shows 50-60%, we’re gonna be set. That will be a very strong tool for the legalization lobbyists. Of course I’d rather have it now, but some people have been waiting a lot longer than me.
When you’re 56 years old , who the hell has the time to wait till 2022-2023, i will be 70 years old. As surveys go, numbers can be manipulated, some guru. What about all the people that are still in the closet for marijuana use? Indiana has no marijuana legislation except for putting people in jail or fines or so called rehabilitation. We do not need surveys, we need legislation to change the laws in states that have no legislation. The winds of change are coming, but not fast enough. The DEA (DEAD END ATROCITIES)are still in the UNICORN business. Victims of a drug war they will never win, because altering the consciousness is a natural thing. Look at all the victims during alcohol prohibition, the masses wanted their booze but federal law overrides the power of the people at that time and it created crime, death and made the alcohol cartel rich and federal revenue losses. The same thing is going on with marijuana prohibition, but on a global scale. United we stand but divided we fall and marijuana prohibition will not let us stand and keep us divided until the laws are changed. 420 ALL THE WAY!
These polls can help formulate targetted stategies!
Democrats and Liberals: check.
Republicans and Concervatives: We need to remind them that prohibition creates big government and higher taxes and weakens our national security.
The older age groups: Keep reminding them of medical benefits. (Their friends are on Chemotherapy) We also need to remind them that prohibition fuels organized crime, which eventually preys on them.
Midwest and the south: You could get in on the farmers market rather than buying from migrant workers. Weed sells for a higher price, with less effort, than corn.
East coast and South: The tobbacco states should realize domestic tobbacco use is in decline. They can easily adopt this market.
While we move foward, we also need to pay attention t0 where the health care plans and the integration of federal law enforcement and intellegence agencies are headed. These two issues can be dangerous to the cause.
Just because Obama backed the DEA off States that have Medical Marijuana, does not mean that government controlled healthcare will allow doctors to continue to prescribe it down the road.
The intergration of the CIA, NSA, FBI, & DEA and their coordination with he military have turned the war on terror in Afganastan into a war on drugs. Whatever the outcome, this fight will eventually end and the troops as well as these agencies will be brought back home. They will need to justify thier jobs. We need to watch out for a larger DEA with idle hands.
I am yet another supporter who is not factored in this poll, but I feel a great day is ahead of our nation, I see a gleam!
NORML manages to frustrate me and brighten my day everyday. Frustration because I keep finding more and more articles and blogs about the incompetence that is our government in regards to marijuana. It’s such a shame that such a beautiful part of nature is constantly scrutinized by misinformed fools. It’s articles like this that brighten my day and give me hope for a future where marijuana enthusiasts, such as myself, don’t have to enjoy nature with a head turned one way or the other to keep watch for people that enforce such ridiculous laws.
Thank you NORML for keeping your heads held high(no pun intended) all these years.
-Lander Bethel
I think more and more conservatives are opening up to the idea of legalization. The more news that comes out debunking the stereotype the better. I think many of them are still just fighting old battles with phantom hippies. Most young conservatives can be reasoned with with a few sound facts and light-hearted jokes. I have made very good strides with my relatives too, God-loving, republican-voting Texans, the lot of us.
“1. unfortunately, all too often, these initiative efforts are self-defeating.
in a foolish attempt to win over the people who can NEVER be won over (for whatever reason, ideology or $$$ vested interest) they put in too-low limits, (1 ounce), rediculus restrictions, way beyond what is required for alcohol or prescription drugs, no legal access, (o.k. to have, illegal to sell or grow, etc) harsher provisions for some things, (for smokers who have kids who might see, or smell, something, but are NOT being harmed in any way), causing MANY pro-pot people to vote against it.
then, next time, we seem to say, “well, we lost last time, we need to give up even more to the other side this time”
“treat pot like alcohol or tobacco” gets OVER 50%.”
The person that wrote this is correct. We need BETTER ballot initiatives. The ones we have right now are ver poor. The only mostly good one is the California Cannabis Initiative, or The Tax, Regulate, and Control Cannabis Act of 2010. Which can be found here:
http://www.californiacannabisinitiative.org/
Well, now that I think about it, Oregon has a really good one that can be found here:
http://www.cannabistaxact.org/
These are both good, in large part because they maintain personal cultivation rights that are reasonable. Where we can grow our own cannabis if we don’t like what the companies are growing, or whatnot. We need to be able to grow our own cannabis, tax-free, at our homes if we are going to have any leverage against the corporations that will try to take over the cannabis industry immediatly after it’s legalized.
#45 you may not give a f about if it’s legalized or not but I do. Yeah, I’ve managed to keep on smoking despite my former supplier moving out of state (and then running him and his wife into the ground-her literally-with getting hooked on oxycontin-why the hell wasn’t pot enough you dumb shit?!?!?). I’ve stayed smoking despite prohibition and living in one of the most “conservative” pockets of the midwest-conservative in that they want government’s hands off big business so they can keep running their employees till they drop but all too happy to let uncle sam put his hands down my pants in the form of random drug testing. It’s taken some effort and resourcefulness to keep smokin’ but I’ve managed, and yeah, I could continue to “manage” and still keep my private pleasure undetected but you know what? I’m tired of dealing with people that would probably have no compunctions about selling to minors and who sometimes think that selling me weed entitles them to try to sneak a grab at my ass (touch my ass once and I’ll never buy from you again). I’m tired of buying just whatever’s available.
I want to be able to go to a licensed store where there is accountability and it can be tracked to ensure that nobody’s slipped in some crazy drug like crack or soaked it in coca cola to make it seem sticky. I want to be able to buy it fresh and to be able to choose my strain. I want to be able to invite friends over for social events that include pot as well as alcohol. I want to be able to smoke without the fear of having to show up for that random drug test that my employer has instituted to get a discount on workman’s comp insurance. I want to be able to “smoke openly in front of my child” without someone charging me with “corruption of a minor,” or even threatening to take my kid away. I want to be able to raise my kid with a sense of right and wrong and truthfulness, and to be able to make wise choices about what substances they use (which they will anyway if I have to move my family to the Netherlands or Portugal).
I want to be safe and secure in my own home without the fear of arrest or job loss. I’m sick and f****** tired of the threat of being hassled in a major way that so far hasn’t happened but which looms over my head and is a major buzzkill.
I actually worked for Gallup and these polls are not always reliable. Many times customers will not answer and the survey taker makes up an answer. Gallup is not to be trusted.
#59 u said that Very Very Well,Even on the whole Quality thing, an piss test,i as well think the same way.Its just out right wrong.Sure this is America,but i really dont think its The Land Of The Free, like i was raised on.
Check out the age distributions. Just wait them out…Tick, tock, tick, tock….
Reform of the law relating to all drugs must be a core social imperative. Cannabis, for its ecological, medicinal applications and significantly to strip away the double standards, impediments to credible health promotion while acknowledging recreational displacement of the contingent harms of alcohol and tobacco (yet perversely merchandised) must be the foremost priority.
re; Russ responds: Damn! Our double-secret classified master plan to keep pot illegal so we can roll around in piles of cash in our stately penthouse suite has been discovered!
we here at NORML really want marijuana to remain forbidden…
———–
1. google this;
“Legal-Pot Backers Split on Timing”
OCTOBER 3, 2009.Legal-Pot Backers Split on Timing .
SAN FRANCISCO — A majority of Californians in recent polls say the state should legalize marijuana. What pot proponents can’t agree on is how soon voters will really be ready to approve legalization.
A schism has emerged among California’s pot-legalization advocates. On one side are those pushing to get a proposition to voters quickly, including activists such as Richard Lee, who last month began collecting signatures to put a pot-legalization measure on the state’s November 2010 ballot.
On the other side is a
go-slow camp (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
calling for a 2012 vote, including activists like Dale Gieringer, director of the California chapter of the National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws, or Norml.
“I do think it will take a few more years for us to develop a proposal that voters will be comfortable with,” said Mr. Gieringer.
———–
yeah, let’s slow down, NORML needs years to develop a proposal that voters will be comfortable with.
(sounds like “let’s give more of our rights away, let’s compromise more, to try to win over the prohibitionist vote”)
should have had it worked out years ago, since that is your stated mission.
let me help you.
how about this one;
A. “regulate and tax marijuana exactly like alcohol”
–purchace as much as you want, same age limits on purchaces, limited to licenced distributors, quality and purity controls, you can share with your own kids in your own home if you want to, just like alcohol, without your kids being stolen, no smoking while driving, make your own at home tax free, etc, etc.
or this one;
B. “marijuana is hereby recognised as a medically active plant substance, like garlic or olive oil, and shall be regulated as such.”
or this one;
C. the criminal code for marijuana shall be ammended as follows;
add the words “for those persons under 18 years old, only.”
there, i just saved you a few years.
2. so when is NORML going to start a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT against the DEA and FDA for publishing and promoting lies, in violation of the Data Quality Act
????????????????????????????
[Editor’s note: It is a weird stretch to construe that a 25-year volunteer like Dr. Gieringer is trying to stretch out cannabis prohibition because he, like many other reformers, don’t support Richard Lee’s initiative (as maybe these activists support one of the other three ‘legalization’ initiatives) does not make him a turncoat or prohibitionist.
Your lack of civility and conspiracy baiting here is not appreciated or warranted.
Re class action lawsuits…if you were better informed, you’d know that law reform groups like NORML, and lawyers independent of the organization, have attempted to get the ‘class’ of medical cannabis left out of the federal government’s Compassionate IND program certified before federal judges, who’ve unfortunately to date ruled in favor of the government’s requests for summary judgment.
Re the Data Quality Act…the act has never been implemented via a lawsuit and ASA has been waiting like 3-4 years for a ruling in their DQA suit. NORML will wait for that first case to conclude before launching any DQA lawsuits.]
re; These polls resuls echo those of similar polls conducted this year by NORML/Zogby (44%)
It does no one any favors to overestimate supposed public support for legalization. ?
just google (at google news);
“52% ,legalize marijuana”
and the truth is right there…
Examiner.com – ?Sep 26, 2009?
… Citizens — 52% according to a 2009 Zogby poll — now support the complete Legalization of Marijuana for all citizens: not just the sick and dying. …
and
Poll: Majority of readers who voted favor legalizing pot
OCRegister – ?Oct 12, 2009?
A Zogby Poll earlier this year found that 52 percent of Americans support legalizing marijuana. The same poll also found that six out of 10 Californians …
HA HA HA !! told you so. !!
[Editor’s note: You’re not informing anyone at NORML or reading this blog. Unfortunately, there are no reliable polling indicating that a majority of citizens support legalizing cannabis. The poll you cite did not have a large enough sampling to be representative of the country (unlike the Gallup, or CBS/NYT polling) and the wording was not ideal.
The current working number of your fellow citizen who support legalizing cannabis is at 44%…and is on a path upwards. Best to accept reality and get to work helping to raise the numbers up to 55% and higher, which is what is needed to move this issue at the voting booths and/or legislatures. 55% and below pre-vote may not be enough as 58% and higher is what is usually needed to win.]
re; Unfortunately, there are no reliable polling indicating that a majority of citizens support legalizing cannabis.
you trust Zogby when they tell you 44%,
but distrust Zogby when they tell you 52%, and 60% in california,
it has allready been proven people don’t respond well to the WORD “legalize”, and if you instead say “just treat like alcohol”, you gain 8-10%.
and you know there are people who don’t really care, who will say they are with the majority, no matter what that is. 5-10%
and you know lots of pro-pot people are still in the closet, because they have kids, or a good job they can’t afford to lose. at least 5%.
and it was the #1 question on obamas call in show.
re; Re class action lawsuits…if you were better informed, you’d know that law reform groups like NORML, and lawyers independent of the organization, have attempted to get the ‘class’ of medical cannabis left out of the federal government’s Compassionate IND program certified before federal judges, who’ve unfortunately to date ruled in favor of the government’s requests for summary judgment.
if you were better informed, you’d know that
class action lawsuit means;
A type of lawsuit in which the claims and rights of many people are decided in a single case.
in other words, millions of smokers all adding their names as victims, and sueing together.
your answer has nothing to do with my question.
[Editor’s reply: The survey in question is a large Gallup poll, not a small sampling Zogby poll. You can’t win an argument when you’re not supported by the facts. Stop insisting there is more public support for cannabis law reform than there is…it does not help anyone to exaggerate the level of support for cannabis legalization.
Again, for the second time, class action lawsuits in favor of medical cannabis patients have already failed to be certified by the federal courts.]
re; does not make him a turncoat or prohibitionist.
never said he was.
just pointing out, he said he wanted to wait till 2012.
my point is,
we should be doing EVERYTHIMG WE CAN
as quickly as possible.
it makes us look like lazzzzy, stoooopid stoners,
if we can’t even get our sh!t together and agree on what we want, or when we want it.
if we let it be known that we are willing to wait till 2012,
there is zero chance it will happen sooner.
why would non smokers vote our way, now,
if they think we are unsure about legalization,
or that we are willing to wait 2-3 years longer ?
they wouldn’t.
NO WAITING !!
[Editor’s note: You maybe wildly impatient, politically immature and keen on wasting millions of dollars on initiatives that will fail. However, thankfully, NORML, MPP, DPA, ACLU, ASA, etc…are not.]
Who out there honestly believe that baby boomers are gonna wait till 2022-2023 to roll one ? Our wait time has run out and 2009 is good enough to proclaim right now THAT MARIJUANA IS NOW fully LEGAL and nobody can change that in my mind.If it takes lawyers 20 years more to write a text making marijuana legal its OK.
Everybody knows that there slow acting.
What will this poll say when we use our right of Jury Nullification on these unlawful cannabis laws?
Don’t forget to plant your seed this spring.
Just remember when the government was deciding our nation’s morals and what behavior is right for all of us folks in America they were hanging black people from the local light posts and then posing for a photo shot. Yes it is these murders and thuds that wanted us to have good morals while staining their hands in our blood. These folks in the government thought that a constructive fraud based on some lies was a great way to raise our moral standing. No we can’t damage the our bodies, no we can’t decided for ourselves what we put into our bodies, but we can surrender our souls to the soul-lessness of our government for our own good.
Thank you Government of America now I can rot in hell with you folks, just what I aways wanted. Nothing like being American and living the American Nightmare brought to you by the wonderful wayward unlawful government employees.
After all who knows more about evil than those who are evil and use it everyday as a form of justice.
Just remember when the government was deciding our nation’s morals and what behavior is right for all of us folks in America they were hanging black people from the local light posts and then posing for a photo shot. Yes it is these murders and thuds that wanted us to have good morals while staining their hands in our blood. These folks in the government thought that a constructive fraud based on some lies was a great way to raise our moral standing. No we can’t damage the our bodies, no we can’t decided for ourselves what we put into our bodies, but we can surrender our souls to the soul-lessness of our government for our own good.
Thank you Government of America now I can rot in hell with you folks, just what I aways wanted. Nothing like being American and living the American Nightmare brought to you by the wonderful wayward unlawful government employees.
After all who knows more about evil than those who are evil and use it everyday as a form of justice.
ill just bet that if every one of us that work for a living had to stop consuming cannabis because of drug testing….norml would have lots more support and would be doing more….i know cause im faced with that as many of us are. it has made me get off my ass and learn how to talk to people .we need people to know what it is like to ,like the buzz and that it does not belong with the likes of other harder, man made drugs.we need support of people who dont know what it is like. i would like nothing better then to get off work and just enjoy some peace and comfort from the pyrex. ok?
End U.S. Government Support of Terrorism.
Legalize Cannabis Now.
Life is much too short to do anything of value later. Re-legalize cannabis immediately!
re; NO WAITING !!
[Editor’s note: You maybe wildly impatient, politically immature and keen on wasting millions of dollars on initiatives that will fail. However, thankfully, NORML, MPP, DPA, ACLU, ASA, etc…are not.]
yes, i am totally convinced that our chances will be so much better in a few years, when the dems are out and the repubs are back in !!!
Legalization could bring in good amounts of tax dollars if done properly. Tax it, regulate it, and sell it. businesses would start up and jobs would be created. Thousands who are wrongly imprisoned for such offenses would no longer be, especially for something which is less harmful than alcohol and cigarettes. This whole “war on drugs” thing is a waste of taxpayer’s dollars which could be used in other, much needed ways (health care?).
So i have been doing my own studies for a while now and part of me wants to lash out at some people that we have put up with in our history books. Look its like this (at least for me). Oil is about to be a very big issue. Some say no its not. Look at the books and the numbers. Its going to cost us a fortune, soon at that. Resolution (take a guess), Paper and other things we use in every day life are made from trees. Trees are being taken down very fast and it takes em how long to grow back, that is if ever. Lots of problems if we run out of trees. Resolution (Take a guess). Employment rates in America hit above 9% september 2009 (correct me if I’m wrong please) Manufacturing requires employment oportunities. Medical uses are unlimited. Prisons and jails are full of what. People who are partaking of a natural herb for whatever reason. Almost 8 Billion a year spent for “solving” that issue. I could go on and on. But I think you should see my point by now. Marijuana is not a “gateway drug either” If you drink, yupo you got it. If you smoke, your there as well. (I smoke and I drink some) so please dont think I’m singling anybody out. but for real. I dont think I need to say much more at all except. One Love—-
50 mil and counting. How many voices will “get up, stand up, stand for your rights” –Bob Marley
I fantasize everyday about legalization, but I do not think that there is any chance whatsoever, despite whatever the public opinion may be. Even when it gets to 60% approval, hypothetically speaking, it still will not be legalized. When is the last time that the government did something that people wanted? It’s a nice thought, but I don’t think that weed ever be legal.
So I went back and read everybodys posts. Thanks to those of you who posted the sight that let me email the White house. I have wanted to do that for a long long time now. I do have something to say to Texasinkhole. No pun intended. But you should be hopeful of this movement. I was very sceptical for a long time. Though I do understand were your views. I myself am tired of dreaming of this. But as long as people do not speak about it, in general as well as to the public and every other person out there. It will be a dream. I am very much for this movement and I will not sit quite any longer. The voice of one man/woman is all it takes to inspire another to speak out. I have been sitting on this subject for a very long time. Waitting for the correct moment to bring this out. Honestly I thin kthat now is the time to put this movement together. Who thought that medical MJ would ever be legal. I know that I didnt, and I’m almost sure that you did not either. Thats the first step to success. When I read that the bill for Medical Mj was passed I smiled all day and am still doing so. I’m not sure who it was that spoke this quote but its much of the truth. -“There is nothing to fear but fear itself”- Unknown! I think that if enough poeple realy want this to happen. It will heppen. We are talking a lot of people and a lot of work. Hippies have always and will always be around. So will the opposing. Bob Marley once said, “Get up stand up, Stand up for your rights” It’s time this issues be openly fought by the poeple (we the people)! I will sit no longer in hidding. You should no longer sit either. I am and will make my stand not only for the people but for myself and future generations as well. Get the Cocaine, Meth, Heroin, and other hard drugs off the streets and let love take over. Use the Sativa and the Indica to our advantage. Paper, Textiles, Fuel, health foods, Sewage treatment. Medical uses as well as recreational. America is on the path to destruction because of things that we have overlooked for so long. Re-Legalization is the key to many of these issues. Not to mention for those of us who have no work. Employment rates wont be as high they have in the past few months. It makes me sick to see what has been going on for so long now. America needs to take a toke, sit back, think about it, and come to its senses. Honestly I’m not sure, but if there is a way to put this issue on a special ballot of some sort before the next presidential election, and make it publically known. I think, more people then we could imagen would step up and make the vote. For those of you who do not support this movement. I feel sorry for what you are missing out on. As for the media. They are a big part is this as well, no matter how much we do or don’t like it. Turn the media in our direction and turn the eyes of millions. Both here at home and els were.
Lol Can you believe that I grew up in Utah, still live here matter of fact. Thanks again for posting the email web links. If you havent taken a look I strongly suggest that you do. Who knows maybe you could be the voice to change the deciding mind on this race. I also urge people to take the time to read and learn. There is so much that Cannabis and hemp can be used for. So many thing that this recession could have been avoided almost completly.
“Risk may cause Failure, But success can not come without it”-unknown !
-_-One Love-_-
hey guy, i m fullly with legalizing this god gifted stuff,thats all i am with.no more words i have to say.
put all ur efforts ,god is with you all the mj lovers
So did you take a look at todays News. Take a look at the Breaking stories. Ca is taking this a step farther much sooner then we all would have thought. Lets keep our fingers crossed.
LMAO… How many of these people were stoned when they left these posts???
What’s up, after rading this amazimg polst i am as well happy to share my know-how here with mates.