Support for legal marijuana hits new high of 68 percent: Gallup

Sixty-eight percent of U.S. adults questioned in a new Gallup poll support the legalization of marijuana, setting a record. 

The finding represents a small increase from the 66 percent Gallup found in support of legalized marijuana in 2019, but is double the support in the early 2000s. 

The new poll was conducted from Sept. 30-Oct. 15, just weeks before voters in Arizona, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota approved ballot measures backing legalized recreational marijuana use, the company noted.

The poll, which surveyed 1,035 adults across the nation, also found majorities in a number of demographic subgroups support legalizing marijuana.  

For example, the highest support was found among adults between ages of 18 and 29, with 79 percent of the group backing it. Pollsters found 75 percent of those between the ages of 30 and 49 supported legalization, 60 percent among those ages 50-64, and 55 percent among those ages 65 and older.

The poll found a majority of men and women backed legalization, with 69 percent of men saying they support the move and 66 percent of women agreeing.

Respondents who graduated college were more likely than those who did not graduate to back legalization in the poll, with 76 percent of college graduates saying they supported legalization compared to 64 percent of non-college graduates.

The poll also found support for legalization among varying household income brackets. Sixty-seven percent of those with a household income of less than $40,000 said they backed legalization and 68 percent of those with a household income ranging from $40,000 to $100,000 said the same. Seventy-four of those with a household income of exceeding $100,000 also backed the move.

There also appeared to be a partisan divide in the poll, which found a majority of respondents who identified as Democrats and liberals, as well as those who identified as independents and moderates, supported legalization, while less than half of those who identified as Republicans and conservatives said the same.

The poll results have a margin of error of 4 percentage points.