NEW POLL SHOWS GREATEST-EVER PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR LEGALIZING MARIJUANA

A poll released Tuesday (6/24) by Zogby International found that 41%
of Americans agree "the government should treat marijuana more or less
the same way it treats alcohol: It should regulate it, control it, tax
it and only make it illegal for children." This represents a striking
increase from previous nationwide polls on making marijuana legal.

"Over 40% of Americans basically think that marijuana prohibition
makes no more sense than alcohol Prohibition, and should be repealed,"
said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance.

Nearly two years ago USA Today ran a front page story with the
findings of a USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll which found that support for
legalizing marijuana was at its highest in 30 years, with 34% in
favor, up from 15% in 1972. The jump over two years to 41% is similar
to other rapid shifts in public opinion around marijuana
decriminalization in Canada, Britain and elsewhere.

The poll released today interviewed 1,204 adults chosen at random
nationwide. They were asked to agree or disagree with the following
statement: "Some people say the government should treat marijuana more
or less the same way it treats alcohol: It should regulate marijuana,
control it, tax it, and only make it illegal for children." The margin
of error is +/- 2.9%.

"No other criminal law on the books in this country is enforced so
vigorously, yet backed by such a small majority of Americans," said
Nadelmann. "When two of every five citizens say it's time to make
marijuana legal, the government's response should be to reduce
penalties and reevaluate the law, yet the federal government is doing
just the opposite: blocking the availability of marijuana for medical
purposes, prohibiting the production of hemp for industrial purposes,
and spending billions of dollars per year on the war on marijuana."

"US marijuana policy is increasingly out of step with our closest
allies and neighbors," said Nadelmann, pointing to the
decriminalization of marijuana in Canada, Switzerland, Britain, the
Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy and elsewhere.