By Matt Ferner A new Gallup poll shows that while a majority of Americans still support legalization of marijuana, that majority has thinned out significantly in only a year’s time. The polls comes as momentum for marijuana legalization appears to be stronger than ever, with residents of two states and the District of Columbia voting on Tuesday to legalize marijuana.

In a survey released Thursday, Gallup found that 51 percent of Americans support legalizing the drug — and while that’s still a majority, that majority is down 7 points from the 58 percent support the polling company found just a year ago when they asked the same question. The new result is closer to the range of support found by Gallup in 2011 and 2012.

Gallup found high levels of support among liberals (73 percent) and moderate support among moderates (58 percent), but only 31 percent of conservatives surveyed think marijuana should be legal. Regionally, support in states on the East and West coasts — which generally lean Democratic — was high, while support the South and Midwest — which generally lean Republican — was far lower.

So why the drop in support? Gallup gives a number of plausible reasons:

Last year’s finding of 58% in favor was recorded as Colorado was preparing to become the first state to implement a law decriminalizing the use of small amounts of marijuana for recreational use. Although the law passed in November 2012, it did not go into effect until January 2014. Americans may have warmed some to proponents’ arguments in 2013 in the ongoing discussion around the Colorado law. More recently, Colorado has been in the news over the sale of marijuana-infused edibles — everything from brownies to gummy bears — and the risk they pose to children, possibly sparking public concern. …read more

Source:: Weed Feed