Off The Grid: The Day After 4/20, A Recap on Legalizing Marijuana

In our post-4/20 recap, let’s take a look at how our views on marijuana have shifted since our initial war on drugs. Take this new Pew Research Center poll, which shows the shift in public opinion on legalizing marijuana since the late 1960s. We have Millennials to thank for this new outlook on pot. Guess who still doesn’t love marijuana? Your 2016 presidential hopefuls.

The Pew Research Center recently published a new survey finding that 53% of Americans favor the legal use of marijuana, while 44% are opposed. But as recently as 2006, only a small amount of Americans supported – a narrow 32% of people – while about twice as many opposed it (approximately 60%).

As the survey states, we have Milennials (the 18 to 34 demo) to thank for this change: 68% of them favor legalizing marijuana use. This is the highest percentage of any age group. But even the Gen X and Boomer generation show a growing rise in support of ending the prohibition on pot.

This national survey was conducted in March this year and pooled 1,500 adults. From this pool, 21% admit to having changed their minds on the issue, stating there was a time when they thought it should be illegal. By contrast, only 7% of those who oppose say they have changed their minds from supporting legalization.

So…if 53% of people – that’s a majority by the way – are in favor of legalizing it, how long before our politicians get on board?Not looking good as of now.We’re looking at you, Chris Christie, Marco Rubio,Hillary Clinton...

Watch Jesse Ventura's Off The Grid interview with Barney Frank, who filed the first marijuana bill in the history of Congress to end prohibition:

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