6 in 10 Americans favor legalizing marijuana

Six in ten (58 percent) Americans have said they favor legalizing marijuana, according to a new Gallup poll.

The survey showed that views of Americans on marijuana legalization have changed dramatically since 1969, when only 12 percent of those surveyed favored legalizing the drug, the Washington Times reports.

Washington state and Colorado became the first states to legalize marijuana for recreational adult use in November 2012.

Nearly four in ten Americans have admitted to smoking pot and to the successful efforts to legalize marijuana in several states, the report added.

Gallup likened the changing attitudes on the drug to the increased support for gay marriage, which has also reached majority support in last two years.