Efforts by marijuana reform groups and activists are having tremendous success at building public support for marijuana’s legalization.
 
Right now 46% of Americans favor the legalization of small amounts of marijuana, according to an April 24th poll by ABC News and the Washington Post. This indicates that support for legalization has nearly doubled since the 1980s, when polling data indicated support for legalization ranging from 21% to 26% over several years. In May 1997 the ABC/Washington Post poll placed legalization support at 22%, while Time had it climbing to 39% in 2002.
 
According to the Washington Post “Respondents were near split on another issue that until recently was deemed untouchable in many parts of the country -- marijuana legalization. Forty-six percent of all respondents said they supported legalizing ‘possession of small amounts for personal use,’ with rates of support higher among men, among younger voters and among independents, a majority of whom supported legalization.”
 
The same poll reveals that the United States remains a center-right nation in which only 23% of the population identifies themselves as liberal. Moderates account for 39% of the country, and 35% identify themselves as conservatives. However in terms of party affiliation, 35% of Americans identify themselves as Democrats, 21% as Republicans, and 38% as Independents.
 
This poll also reveals growing support for gay marriage, now supported by 49% of the country. In 2006 support for gay marriage was at 36%.
 
The overall summary of these recent poll results by the Washington Post is that there is increasing support for these social issues, and this is very encouraging news for advocates of marijuana’s legalization.
 
Marijuana has fast become a mainstream political issue, subject to increasing attention from the media along with increased public support. Interest in marijuana reform in general, and marijuana’s legalization in particular, can no longer be ignored by politicians as a fringe issue. These poll results guarantee that politicians in Washington D.C and around the country will begin to pay increasingly more attention to marijuana legalization as one of the important issues on their radar.
 
How did we get here? These poll results are the direct result of increased advocacy for marijuana’s legalization by various reform groups such as the Marijuana Policy Project, NORML, and the Drug Policy Alliance. This increase in public support for marijuana’s legalization is a result of our persuasive arguments – the arguments of individual activists, the hard work of these and other advocacy organizations, and the specific arguments presented by the 420 Campaign’s list of Top Ten Reasons Why Marijuana Should Be Legal.
 
How can we build on this accomplishment? Simple, turn up the heat! Continue to contact your elected representatives and urge them to support marijuana’s legalization! Contact any one of the above advocacy groups for help in contacting your elected representatives, or go to the Project Vote-Smart Web site.
 
Almost half the country supports the legalization of marijuana. Our next goal is to increase that figure to more than half, and this goal is not too far off. All it takes is continued work and dedication by supporters of marijuana’s legalization. Political activism works! The results are clear, and they provide proof that the strategy and activities of the reform movement are effective. Support marijuana reform organizations, participate in the 420 Campaign, and continue to work hard for legalization!