61% of Americans say marijuana use should be allowed.
Rick Wilking
Americans’ support for the legalization of marijuana has reached an all-time high, according to a CBS News poll released Thursday. Of those surveyed, 61 percent said they now believe the use of the drug should be allowed, which is up 5 percentage points from a year ago and is now the highest approval for weed ever recorded in the four decades CBS News has been asking the question. A full 88 percent of Americans told the pollsters they approve of the use of medical marijuana, and 71 percent oppose any effort from the federal government to halt its sales. According to the survey results, about 65 percent of those who responded believe the use of marijuana is less dangerous than other drugs. Only 23 percent of respondents said they believe legalizing marijuana would lead to an increase in violent crimes. Elsewhere Thursday, the day known as the marijuana “holiday” 4/20, a pro-cannabis activist group plans to set up near Capitol Hill and pass out at least 1,000 free joints to members of Congress, the press, and congressional staffers who are at least 21 years old, according to the New York Daily News.
