Pubdate: Fri, 05 Apr 2013 Source: Dallas Morning News (TX) Copyright: 2013 The Dallas Morning News, Inc. Contact: http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/send-a-letter/ Website: http://www.dallasnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/117 Author: David Lauter, Tribune Newspapers Page: 7A MAJORITY NOW SUPPORT LEGALIZING POT Most No Longer See Use As Immoral, Poll Finds WASHINGTON - A majority of Americans support legalizing marijuana, a new poll shows, with the change driven largely by a huge shift in how the baby boom generation feels about the drug of its youth. Fifty-two percent of adult Americans back legalization, according to the survey released Thursday by the Pew Research Center. The finding marks the first time in more than four decades of Pew's polling that a majority has taken that position. As recently as a decade ago, only about one-third of American adults backed legalization. Two big shifts in opinion go along with the support for legalization and likely contribute to it. Most Americans no longer see marijuana as a "gateway" to more dangerous drugs, and most no longer see its use as immoral. As recently as 2006, half of Americans said in a Pew survey that marijuana use was "morally wrong." Now, only one-third do. By an overwhelming margin, 72 percent to 23 percent, Americans say the federal government's efforts against marijuana "cost more than they are worth." Similarly, by nearly a 2-to-1 ratio, Americans say the federal government should not enforce its anti-marijuana laws in states that allow use of the drug. The Obama administration has been vague on what stand it will take on federal law enforcement in states such as Washington and Colorado, which have legalized marijuana for recreational use, or in states such as California that allow medical use. Federal prosecutors in California have brought charges against some sellers of medical marijuana. In December, Attorney General Eric Holder acknowledged a "tension between federal law and these state laws" and said that a clarification of federal policy would come "relatively soon." That has not yet happened. So far, 24 states and the District of Columbia have decriminalized personal use of marijuana, legalized it or allowed it to be used for medical purposes. Federal law currently treats marijuana as a dangerous drug with no legitimate medical uses. The poll suggests that a shift in federal law may be slow. A notable political split exists on the issue. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt