Study: Most Americans don’t approve legalization of marijuana
Dec 23, 2013, 5:48 AM | Updated: 8:00 am
While Washington and Colorado voters have approved the recreational use of the drug, a new national survey suggests a majority of Americans still don't approve of legalization. (AP Photo/file)
(AP Photo/file)
While Washington and Colorado voters have approved the recreational use of marijuana, a new national survey suggests a majority of Americans still don’t approve of legalization.
Financial services company The Street reports legalization is still frowned upon by many.
“Most people do approve of medicinal marijuana, but we were surprised when we did our study, most people disapproved of recreational marijuana,” says Market Analyst Debra Borchardt.
Borchardt says the survey of a thousand Americans around the country found 53 percent disapprove of legalization.
But if it were legal, half of the respondents believe it should only be legal to those over 21, like Washington’s law, and 80 percent believe it should be treated like alcohol.
“They were really in agreement on the age limits, and people were in agreement on regulating it like alcohol so that was not surprising to see people falling into those categories,” says Borchardt.
So if marijuana was legal, where should it be sold? Borchardt says 69 percent thought a pharmacy was the best place. Sixty percent thought it should be sold in stand-alone stores, like in Washington. Some thought liquor stores, coffee shops and even supermarkets.
And there is a big split between men and women on where they think the drug should be made available.
“Men were certainly willing to buy it in all kinds of places. Liquor store? Sure, yeah, why not? Supermarket? Heck yeah. I guess for us ladies we thought maybe pharmacies and dispensaries were maybe the best place and leave it there,” says Borchardt.
This survey contradicts many others, including one conducted by Gallup just two months ago, that found a majority of Americans favor legalization.
“There really had not been very many studies done, and really more along the lines of independent studies,” says Borchardt. “I have seen a couple studies but they’ve been sponsored by businesses or organizations that benefited from the legalization of marijuana, so I always feel that’s a little bit skewed.”
Gallup found support for legalizing marijuana at 58 percent in October.
Colorado expects to begin selling legal pot on January 1st.
Washington’s first stores are expected to open in the spring.
