Poll Finds Majority of Voters Favor Marijuana Legalization

Fifty-two percent of U.S. voters are in favor of the federal government legalizing marijuana, according to a new Zogby poll, Salem-News reported May 6.

Commissioned by the conservative O’Leary Report, the poll sampled 3,937 voters about their perspectives on legalization.

The poll question read: “Scarce law-enforcement and prison resources, a desire to neutralize drug cartels and the need for new sources of revenue have resurrected the topic of legalizing marijuana. Proponents say it makes sense to tax and regulate the drug while opponents say that legalization would lead marijuana users to use other illegal drugs. Would you favor or oppose the government’s effort to legalize marijuana?”

The poll found 52 percent in favor of marijuana legalization, 37 percent opposed, and 11 percent undecided.

Of those polled, 54 percent voted for Barack Obama in the last presidential election, while 46 percent voted for John McCain.