Pew study: Majority of Americans favor legalized marijuana

As voters in five states prepare to decide whether to fully legalize marijuana on Nov. 8, a new study from the Pew Research Center reports the majority of Americans say the recreational use of cannabis should be made legal.

A survey conducted in late August found 57 percent of adults favored legalizing marijuana. There is still considerable resistance to the idea, however, and 37 percent say cannabis should remain illegal. The survey results were published Wednesday.

A decade ago, public opinion was "nearly the reverse," said Pew researchers. Just 32 percent favored legalization, while 60 percent were dead set against it.

The federal government still regards marijuana as an illegal substance and categorizes it along with heroin and LSD as having no legitimate medical use.

In April, Pennsylvania became the 24th state to approve medical marijuana. The state Department of Health is preparing regulations that will govern growing and distribution. Products, however, are not expected to be available to patients until early 2018.  Medical marijuana products are already available to residents of New Jersey.

On Election Day, voters in California, Massachusetts, Maine, Arizona, and Nevada will consider full, legalized recreational use. The measure in California is expected to pass. If it does, marijuana will become legal along the entire West Coast. Voters in Florida, Arkansas, North Dakota and Montana are voting to decide the fate of medical marijuana in their states.

By political party, Democrats across the country favor legalizing marijuana by a 2-1 margin; 60 percent are for it with 30 percent against, the Pew survey found. The majority of registered Republicans, 55 percent of them, oppose legalization, though the party's self-described moderates and liberals support it.

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