Wyoming holding out as other states legalize marijuana

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming's criminal penalties for possessing marijuana remain among the harshest in the U.S. even as neighboring states legalize the drug. Nearly three dozen states have voted to legalize or decriminalize marijuana possession.

Meanwhile, a Gallup poll published shows support 68% of adults in the U.S. support legalizing marijuana, the highest the poll’s nearly 50-year history.

The Casper Star-Tribune reports legalization efforts in South Dakota and Montana are a sign that attitudes are shifting, though perhaps not in Wyoming.

Nationwide, Republicans remain more hesitant to legalize marijuana. The Gallup poll shows that slim majority of conservatives surveyed remain opposed to legalizing marijuana.