Support for legal recreational marijuana use soars in America

A new poll says that 55 percent of Americans want marijuana to be legalized nationwide.

The CNN/ORC survey was released on Monday and indicated that the number of people who support the legalization of marijuana is on the rise. 44 percent opposed the idea of legal marijuana in the US, according to CNN.

55 percent is a huge jump from only 16 percent support in 1987. It is even a jump in support from the survey taken two years ago that had 43 percent of the country in support of the legalization of marijuana.

The survey found distinct divides on the issue. There are divisions in age, region, political party as well as gender. Senior citizens, Republicans and southerners all still seem to oppose the legalization of marijuana.

Two thirds of those polled between the ages of 18 and 34 supported legalization of recreational marijuana and 64 percent of people between 34 and 49 agreed. 50 percent of people ages 50 to 64 agreed with legal recreation marijuana and people 65 and older drop to 39 percent approval.

The findings, according to The Washington Times, definitely show a major shift in opinion since the time of President Nixon. Though this could be because Nixon declared drugs public enemy number one.

'Attitudes toward the effects of marijuana and whether it is morally wrong to smoke pot have changed dramatically over time,' Keating Holland, polling director for CNN, said. 'That also means that marijuana use is just not all that important to Americans any longer.'