Will America legalise marijuana?

A recent poll by Gallup indicates that a majority of Americans would vote for the decriminalisation of marijuana. This represents a major change in attitude towards the recreational drug.

Earlier this year it was reported that drug use in America is falling amongst the younger population, but on the rise amongst those over the age of 50. This changing demographic of drug use may help to explain why America is becoming more tolerant.

The Gallup survey showed that the percentage of voters who favour decriminalisation has increased from 50% in 2011 to 58% this year. When the poll of marijuana decriminalisation was first made by Gallup in 1969, only 12% of voters approved of the idea.

Use of marijuana among adults aged between 50 and 60 years has more than doubled in the last 12 years, with around 7.2% of adults in this age group using marijuana on a regular basis. The reason for this cultural shift has not yet been determined; however, there is a real possibility that those who are voting in favour now are those who have been using the drug recreationally since the 1960s and 1970s, as young adults from this time would now be in their 50s and 60s.

Mason Tvert, a spokesman for Marijuana Policy Project, has responded to the poll, saying: “I think it’s time to regulate marijuana like alcohol, and most Americans appear to agree. We’re seeing support for ending prohibition in states across the country and efforts are being made to change state laws.”

Marijuana is not a drug without risks, however, and there are some serious side effects associated with its use.