A new NBC/WSJ poll is the newest to highlight the growing number of Americans who support marijuana legalization.
Washington D.C.- Americans are not being swayed by the Department of Justice’s feelings on legal marijuana. A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows that Americans seem steady in their support for marijuana legalization.
The poll found that 60 percent of Americans approved of permitting adults to legally purchase and use marijuana. NBC and The Wall Street Journal found that 55 percent of respondents approved of legalization when they asked the same question in 2014.
The poll found opinions broke down along political lines with 73 percent of Democrats supporting legalization and only 43 percent of Republicans approving. Among Trump voters, the number is only 37 percent.
Age also factored heavily into the responses. Of those aged 18-34, 73 percent supported legalizing marijuana. For those aged 35-49, 65 percent approved along with 54 percent approving for those aged 50-65. Only 38 percent of those aged 65 and older approved of marijuana legalization.
The poll also revealed a gender gap as 64 percent of men approved of legalization while only 57 percent of women did.
Currently, there are 29 states that have approved the use of medical marijuana and 9 states that have approved recreational use. Vermont is the newest state to legalize this week but many expect other states such as New Jersey, Michigan, and Delaware to follow suit.
