For the first time in U.S.A history, the Republican party is in favor of legalizing marijuana.
According to a poll by YouGov – which shows that 49% of Republicans favor legalizing, and 38% are still opposed. While it is a very small margin, it is still one that has room and time to grow.
Considering there are now four states with a legal cannabis industry that operates on an adult use basis, not just medical, it should not be surprising to see the shift – but that doesn’t mean it is not to be welcomed after years of fighting legalization.
While the attitude towards prohibition may have changed, and the realization that it was costing more than it was worth to incarcerate people over the cannabis plant – the attitude towards the plant and its use have not changed very much. The poll showed that 48% believe that it is a gateway drug and 37% do not – which is only down a couple percentage points from 2013.
With those numbers virtually unchanged, it shows that the Republican party has a different reason for supporting legalization – and it’s appears to be bringing an end to needless incarceration. Even if we can’t convince them all that cannabis is safe, even if we can’t change their minds on old stereotypes and myths – at least we can all agree that the war on drugs and the prohibition of cannabis has proven to be a failed attempt.
