Poll: Nearly half support legalization of marijuana

For the first time since CBS News began asking the question, as many Americans now think marijuana use should be legal as think it should not.

Support for legalizing marijuana inched up slightly from 45 percent in September to 47 percent today, according to a CBS News poll, conducted Nov. 16-19. Another 47 percent think it should remain prohibited. A year ago, a slight majority of Americans, 51 percent, opposed legalizing marijuana use.

This shift in public opinion was seen at the ballot box this month, when Colorado and Washington became the first states in the nation to approve of recreational marijuana use among adults over the age of 21. Marijuana use of any kind, however, is still illegal under federal law. It's unclear at this point how the Obama administration intends to respond.

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According to exit polls, legalizing marijuana passed in Colorado and Washington with the support of a majority of younger voters under the age of 45. Nationwide, this pattern continues: a majority of Americans under the age of 45 support legalizing marijuana, while more older Americans - particularly those over 65 - oppose it.

Americans are divided by party on this issue as well. While 51 percent of Democrats and 55 percent of independents support legalizing marijuana, 66 percent of Republicans oppose it.

Marijuana for medical use

Support for medical marijuana, now legal in 18 states and the District of Columbia, is growing as well.

Eighty-three percent of Americans favor allowing doctors to prescribe small amounts of marijuana for patients suffering from serious illnesses, the poll shows - up from 77 percent a year ago and 62 percent back in 1997. A majority of Americans of all ages - as well as most Republicans, Democrats, and independents - favor allowing this.

Still, just 29 percent of Americans think that most of the marijuana that is purchased in this country through state-authorized medical marijuana programs is being used to alleviate suffering from serious medical illnesses, while 53 percent think it is used for other purposes. This hasn't changed much from a year ago.

Even though marijuana use remains illegal under federal law, most Americans don't think this is a matter that should involve the federal government. Fifty-nine percent of Americans think whether or not to legalize marijuana should be left up to each individual state government to decide - including 49 percent of those who oppose legalizing marijuana in general.

For full poll results see next page.

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This poll was conducted by telephone from November 16-19, 2012 among 1,100 adults nationwide. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The margin of error for the sample of registered voters could be plus or minus three points. The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

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[Bojax39]

"Poll: Nearly half support legalization of marijuana"

And nearly half don't. Get back to us when one side or the other has a clear majority....

[ScientificPantheist]

When I last wrote my Representative in Congress about medical marijuana, his response cited irreproducible studies from over 30 years ago. In two minutes I had googled up a meta-study from February 2012 that showed just the opposite of his claims. Those are reproducible scientific studies.

My representative is a physician!

What's wrong with this picture?

[accused_felon]

I received the same statement from my rep.in Missouri. They are so lazy, they use a form letter created in the 70's.

[pammmmmm]

hahaha Everyone knows that smoking pot is dangerous. Mainstream media is trying to lie to you by saying that it is a 50/50 split. That's hogwash!

[Please_tell_us_more]

The stupid is strong with this one.

[Leonel2012]

Can you please explain me how it is dangerous, don't give me any gateway and driving stoned BS crap.

[gwmecj]

It appears the most serious and damaging effects of marijuana use is getting caught. Now you have a criminal record. You will be ineligible for federal student aid. But, you will undoubtedly learn some new skills from your fellow inmates on ways to procure money. And, you probably will be involved in a variety of sexual activity everyday, whether you want to, or not. Also, the people who you purchase maijuanan from now, probably will have other illegal drugs for sale too, such as meth and crack. If it were legalized, it is doubtful they would take the chance of having these other risky substances so readily available.

[gwmecj]

Also, you may have worked for a company for 20 years. You were at a party, and due to impaired judgement from drinking alcohol, you take a couple of drags off of a maijuana cigarette. Two weeks later, the company decides to have a random drug test. You WILL test positive and you can kiss those 20 years goodbye.

[Faramir0028g]

In truth very few companies do random testing...mostly it's one test when hired

[upyours100]

Just what this country need a bunch of stoned out non achievers and fatties.Come to think ofit, that must have been what happened in the Presidential election!

[Kenny_Login]

The ultra close minded stupidity of this comment is the straw that broke this camel's back. I am officially done reading what other people have to say in comments sections because of this very comment (and other moronic statements). I used to be interested in what "people's" comments were on some issues. But the sheer and utter slime that dripped off of your fingers and onto this forum has ruined it for me.

I am going to go have a nice rip of hashish, go out side and take a walk in the park and return home to continue my economics studies.

My computer is going to be off for the rest of the weekend.

[accused_felon]

LOL, Your calling our last three presidents stoned out non achievers and fatties?

[chadgraham]

worked from 16 years to today i am 37, smoked for years had to put it down 5 years ago due to company insurance policy. Stoped it cold turkey there is no addiction in it! I smoked it day for day over half my life! Now for the last 5 years i have been limited to alcohol. I will tell u the truth it is an addicting poision! I canot believe such can be legal, and not marijuanna! When i was 16 i got taken in for DWI! A cop stood up while i was being booked in the waiting cell, and said infront of the other cops "why dont you smoke pot, we all do we are just smart enough to leave it at home"! I was in shock, but i agreed in my mind! A few hours later i has being bailed! As i was walking with the Bailbond agent neat door to the jail house! I told him what the cop did! He told me "son im gonna tell u right now, it would be legal if government could put a tax on it. The thing is they cant because everyone would grow it in there own back yard". Well years ago it was said, and i knew it already as well he was telling the truth! Like i am telling the truth now. It should be legal, and tax free protected like the Bald Eagle. Today the government has already patened it? I want my right back, poision is no good. I have lived my whole life with little drinking, knowing the effects are very bad. The last past 6 months i have been drinking, and can tell u this drinking alchahol can be addicting! Legalize Marijuanna all over the world for recreational use, and for medical use! Go ahead and tax it too, but while being taxed it should also be able to be grown in our own homes. The legal age of 21 to use it! It would be a win win situation!!! If it came down to my son drinking or marijuanna. I would say marijuanna hands down!! Thanks for reading this! We The People need to take our rights back, and quit relying on the goverment shoulder, this is what the gov't wants... Love all!!!

[BippityBoppityBlue]

Why would anyone oppose marijuana legalization?!? Because there's GOOD MONEY in prolonging the problem, that's why! Here's a nice little quote from a company called GEO. GEO manages many prisons and "boot camps" and other institutions of incarceration, in many states. GEO is AGAINST marijuana legalization, and explains why in its 2011 10K Report:

"In particular, the demand for our correctional and detention facilities and services and BI's services could be adversely affected by changes in existing criminal or immigration laws, crime rates in jurisdictions in which we operate, the relaxation of criminal or immigration enforcement efforts, leniency in conviction, sentencing or deportation practices, and the decriminalization of certain activities that are currently proscribed by criminal laws or the loosening of immigration laws. For example, any changes with respect to the decriminalization of drugs and controlled substances could affect the number of persons arrested, convicted, sentenced and incarcerated, thereby potentially reducing demand for correctional facilities to house them. Similarly, reductions in crime rates could lead to reductions in arrests, convictions and sentences requiring incarceration at correctional facilities. Immigration reform laws which are currently a focus for legislators and politicians at the federal, state and local level also could materially adversely impact us."

Is that frightening to you? That a company like GEO would work SO HARD, and spend SO MUCH MONEY, to make sure that people keep getting arrested, and stay locked up longer, and even keep returning to prison??

Well, now you know why.

[revraygreen]

Iowa NICER 2012 - Iowa is so nice we still jail non-violent adults for cannabis...

http://youtu.be/9szOHy3vRPw

[me_nz]

About damn time. Isn't it funny how those who bang on about individual rights and freedoms especially for the rich i.e. Republicans suddenly change their minds when it comes to the devils creation "DRUGS". What I say is I don't care about what a person does to themselves it's their life their choice their responsibility their consequences. What I do care about are the wider social consequences of this stupid inane prohibition as in the 1920's with exactly the same results never to be won "War on Drugs". E.g. 50,000 plus Mexicans dead since 2006 in drug gang killings. 70% of these drug gang's income comes from weed. All of this also occurs right across the US. The lives destroyed, police time wasted, the cost of locking people up for what? Smoking something that that has been used as a medicine for 4,000 years. Even Queen Victoria used to take it and was legal in the US up to the 1920's. I am not a pot smoker but I cannot see the sense in this. The facts just don't stack up. Legalise the damn stuff, tax it take the income away from the gangs and the criminals let the police get on with fighting real crime like muggings and robbery.

[Usamomof6]

Hello people they have a device they have used for years to determine the toxicity level of impaired drivers. And yes that includes canabis. Impairment is impairment no matter how much! if u are drunk you are drunk. if you are high you are high. They prosecute the same as if you are a drunk driver. So pot heads need to take public transportation if they even get off their couch. Republicans we need to remember the taxes that can be generated by canabis and not taken out of our pockets! If they grow it people will buy it and pay ridiculous taxes just like tobacco. I think it will take a while to properly control just as alcohol. I would rather see a lazy pot head sitting on the porch than a drunk driver ( because u know they will drive drunk) running over my kids!!!!!!

[Bojax39]

Usamomof6 says: "I would rather see a lazy pot head sitting on the porch than a drunk driver ( because u know they will drive drunk) running over my kids!!!!!!"

Reckon you've never seen some head tooling down the road in search of munchies? :-)

Here in Colorado we're waiting for somebody to come up with a definition on what amount of THC in the bloodstream constitutes being too intoxicated to drive.