According to a new poll, a majority of Black Americans are in support of legalizing marijuana, freeing cannabis prisoners, and expunging records.
The poll from Pew Research Center has found that based on data from a survey they had conducted last year, nearly six-in-ten black Americans favor legalizing cannabis for both medical and recreational purposes, while an additional 28 percent said only medical cannabis should be legal.
Only 11 percent of black respondents said that marijuana should remain completely criminalized.
Asked whether people should be released from prison and have their records expunged for cannabis-only offenses, 74 percent of black Americans said in separate questions that both of those policies should be enacted.
Pew also analyzed more specific data points on black support for reform, finding that there are partisan divides, with those who identify as Democrats or liberal being more likely to embrace recreational and medical legalization (61 and 70 percent, respectively) than those who identify as Republican or conservative (48 and 41 percent, respectively).
Black men are also more favorable toward adult-use and medical legalization at 61 percent, compared to 55 percent of black women.
Age is another factor, with 63 percent of those 18-49 saying marijuana should be legal for any purpose, versus 50 percent of those 50 and older. The older demographic is also more inclined to back medical cannabis legalization alone at 34 percent, while 23 percent of the younger group say legalization should be limited to medical use.
