62 Percent of Americans Support Marijuana Legalization

Sixty-two percent of Americans say the use of marijuana should be legalized, according to a new Pew Research Center survey released on Monday.

This reflects a steady increase over the past decade in support. While those who backed the legalization of marijuana is little changed from about a year ago, when 61 percent did so, the number is double the 31 percent who favored legalization in 2000.

Other results from the survey include:

• While 74 percent of Millennials, 63 percent of Gen Xers and 54 percent of Baby Boomers say the use of marijuana should be legal, only 39 percent of the Silent Generation are supportive the move.
• Among Democrats, 69 percent say marijuana use should be legal, compared to 45 percent of Republicans. Among Independents, 68 percent back legalization.
• Men are much more supportive of legalizing marijuana than women are, at 68 percent to 56 percent.

The upswing in public support for legal marijuana comes as an increasing number of states have legalized the drug for medical or recreational purposes in recent years.

The analysis in this survey is based on telephone interviews conducted September 18-24 among a national sample of 1,754 adults, 18 years of age or older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The margin of error was plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.

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