MSNBC: Poll- nearly 2/3 of Americans support legalizing Marijuana

[TonyPDX]

3. A clear majority are willing, but Reefer Madness-era myths about cannabis endure.

It's up to each of us to dispel the misinformation about this useful herb held by our families and neighbors. Studies like this recent one demonstrate the importance of funding more rigorous research into potential benefits.

People who haven't gotten it by now are hard core hold-outs. It's a fact that my own unsophisticated and older relatives to this day regard cannabis as "dope" and consumers as "addicts." They bought Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" and remain very resistant to discoveries that prove they've been wrong. Worse, people like my relatives take what they believe is a moral stand to justify their misinformed position, and folks who think they've got God on their side can be very obstructive. We have to do the difficult work of persuading them that the honest facts are not what they have believed for so long. Eventually they'll age-out of the equation, but if we share the truth, I believe acceptance can come sooner.