Kyle Leighton October 18, 2011, 5:32 PM

Its happened. In the mid-nineties, only a quarter of the U.S. population thought that marijuana should be legal, against a huge 73 percent majority shown in the yearly Gallup poll on legalization. Fifteen years later, there’s been a sea change: 50 percent now think it should be legal, the issue’s first majority in the history of the Gallup survey, with only 46 percent against it.

Gallup has tracked the issue for forty years, yet it’s only really been close in the last few. In fact, only 5 years ago there was a healthy majority against legalization. But the change may have to do with shifting demographics over time. Expectedly, younger Americans are more likely to support making pot legal. “If this current trend on legalizing marijuana continues, pressure may build to bring the nation’s laws into compliance with the people’s wishes,” Gallup wrote.

Check out the findings over time:

But will any pols listen to Gallup’s point about an increasing appetite for legalization? One presidential candidate took the opportunity immediately: former New Mexico Republican Gov. Gary Johnson. Johnson, who has been a longtime advocate on the issue, railed against a ruling class that is keeping the country from recognizing the will of its people.

“Refusing to face the truth about marijuana laws and their failure is the modern day equivalent to Prohibition, which served only to jump-start organized crime — just as our marijuana laws are providing vast riches to the cartels who are terrorizing our southern border,” said Johnson in a statement. “Yet, for the most part, there are no politicians who will speak that truth, much less act upon it. With 50% of Americans open to the idea of legalization, why won’t the ruling class at least let us have the conversation?”

The Gallup survey used live telephone interviews with 1,069 interviews with American adults conducted from October 6th to the 9th. It has a sampling error of 4 percent.

Marijuana, Polls