A new CNN poll has found that 55% of Americans surveyed believe that pot should be legal — a sharp increase from the past decades.
The number of Americans who supported pot in 1987 was just 16%, according to CNN. It has steadily been increasing since then and was up to 43% two years ago.
The major groups that still oppose legal marijuana are the elderly, Republicans, and people from the South. Not surprisingly, the Northeast had the most support for pot, with 60% of those questioned in that region saying they supported legalizing the drug.
More men support legalization than women — 59% compared to just 51%. CNN surveyed more than 1,000 adults from January 3rd through 5th.
Its results come amid an unprecedated wave of support for legal pot. Washington and Colorado have legalized recreational smoking, and New York state just indicated it would permit medical marijuana in some instances.