While Congress and activists met for the first time to discuss ending marijuana prohibition in the United States last week — there was plenty of “disagreement and debate,” reported Marijuana Moment — all signs continue to point toward federal legalization remaining a ways away. Though many Democratic presidential nominees favor the reversal of prohibition and two in three American support legalization, other politicians remain reticent to embrace such change so quickly.
Those over in the U.K. face a similar predicament, if a recent poll can serve as indication. Conducted by YouGov, the poll represents a “clear and growing appetite” for reforming drug laws in the UK, says the Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group, which commissioned the study.
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Numbers, as they say, don’t lie. The poll shows a vast majority support medical marijuana legalization in the UK (77%). Meanwhile, those who support legalizing adult-use cannabis double the number of those who oppose it (48% compared to 24%). That’s an increase of 5%, according to Dazed Digital.
“This survey shows the government and politicians are significantly behind the public’s thinking,” Rob Wilson, CDPRG’s chief executive, told The Independent.
“It illustrates the widening gulf between the stubborn, decades-old policies of blanket prohibition and the developing attitude of millions of voters willing to apply new approaches focused on improving harm reduction and healthcare outcomes,” he added.
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Whether this results in widespread change remains debatable, though that is the goal of CDPRG. The U.K. legalized some forms of medical marijuana last year, but remains difficult to access for many families due to bureaucratic and financial burdens. Wilson hopes these number could incur change in the country.
“The findings of this survey demonstrate the urgent need for policymakers and government to start to rethink policy as part of an open, fully informed and evidence-based debate on the future of drugs policy,” he said.
