The rise in support for the Marijuana Movement over the last decade has played a significant part in legalization of both medical and recreational cannabis in many states. While in years past the support to the movement was considerably smaller, it was also generally only those who use the herb in some form or another who supported it.

Lately that trend seems to have broken as more and more people are joining the campaign to legalize marijuana. The reason for this? There’s just too much going on to ignore it!

Here’s three major reasons people who do not smoke or use marijuana are supporting legalization after all these years…

<strong>Visible Proof of Successful Regulation in Other States</strong>

Honestly, with all the success in states like Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon and even D.C. did you think prohibition would continue to last? With the sales tax revenue coming in, the <a href="http://marijuanapolitics.com/why-do-i-support-marijuana-legalization/">criminal arrests going down</a> and the under-age consumption rate dropping it is no wonder people are starting to change their minds. Those who do not use cannabis are starting to see that the “threats” of recreational use were blown far out of proportion during the 80s.

<strong>Medicinal Benefits Outweigh the “Risks”</strong>

It’s now been <a href="http://norml.org/shop/item/marijuana-law-reform-timeline">nearly two decades since California was the first state to legalize medical</a> marijuana use. In the years following we have learned far more about the marijuana plant and its uses in treating several disabling medical conditions than many expected. With more and more deaths each year coming from man-made prescription pills filled with chemicals it is no wonder people support an organic alternative with far fewer (if any) risks.

<strong>The Economic Benefits Cannot Be Ignored </strong>

In the end, this may be the thing that changed a few minds that just could not be wrapped around the idea of a legal marijuana market of any kind. Seeing the change in economy – and so rapidly – was really a game changer. Not only was the tax revenue for the first year over <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/02/12/colorados-legal-weed-market-700-million-in-sales-last-year-1-billion-by-2016/">$60k in Colorado alone,</a> but jobs opened up in several areas with the creation of this new market, creating opportunities that many people and entrepreneurs could never consider before.

In the end, I think the support is going to continue to grow. The forward momentum is not going to slow down any time soon as more and more people start to see the benefits of creating a legal market will provide much needed relief for people of many walks of life.