Poll: 74 Percent Of Americans, Including 67 Percent Of Republicans, Want Obama To Respect State Marijuana Laws

[Michael Komorn]

Poll: 74 Percent of Americans, Including 67 Percent of Republicans, Want Obama to Respect State Marijuana Laws

 

http://www.kushmagazine.com/news/2893-poll-74-percent-of-americans-including-67-percent-of-republicans-want-obama-to-respect-state-marijuana-laws

 

by Zach Rosenberg

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A poll carried out by independent polling firm Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Inc., on behalf of The Marijuana Policy Project, has found that an overwhelming 74% of Americans would like President Obama to respect the medical marijuana laws in states that have legalized marijuana.

 

The poll's results are important for many reasons, but drive home the message that marijuana on a state level is indeed an issue of significance, unless you're Mitt Romney. But Romney might want to listen up: Mason-Dixon Polling & Research found that within the 74% of pro-pot Americans, 67% of Republicans polled showed support for marijuana as well.

 

These numbers bolster the previous Gallup Poll's findings for Americans in favor of legalization. But while Gallup asked pollsters if they "think the use of marijuana should be made legal, or not," Mason-Dixon focused on President Obama's now-confirmed unpopular war on marijuana.

 

The poll was conducted from May 10 to May 14, 2012, and consisted of interviews with 1,000 "likely general election voters...nationwide." The full question was as follows:

 

QUESTION: Currently, 16 states plus the District of Columbia have made the medical use of marijuana legal. In some of these states, individuals have been authorized to cultivate and sell medical marijuana under tightly regulated conditions. However, medical marijuana use remains illegal under federal law, even in states that have passed laws or ballot measures that allow it for medical treatment.

 

Do you feel President Obama should: (ORDER ROTATED)

 

- Respect the medical marijuana laws in these states, or

 

- Use federal resources to arrest and prosecute individuals who are acting in compliance with state medical marijuana laws?

 

"These results are consistent with the clear and growing body of evidence that documents substantial voter support for the legalization of medical marijuana," Larry Harris, a principal with Mason-Dixon Polling & Research told The Marijuana Policy Project.

 

The results speak for themselves; a large majority preferred that President Obama lay off of states where marijuana is legal:

 

Of the 1,000 polled, "Respect State Laws" was favored by 75% of Democrats, 67% of Republicans, and 79% of Independent/Unaffiliated voters.

 

Men and women split almost evenly. Of the 1,000 polled, 48% were male, 52% were female. 74 percent of men and 73% of women voted for Obama to respect state laws.

 

Votes were cast for "Respect State Laws" in similar majority across age ranges as well, winning over 81% of 18-34 year olds, 76% of 35-49 year olds, 76% of 50-64 year olds, and 64% in the 65+ crowd.

 

All racial groups - White, Black, and Hispanic - voted in favor of "Respect State Laws" in excess of 73%.

 

An unrelated New Hampshire poll whose results were released today, coincidentally, reported that "65% of voters support legalizing medical marijuana to 24% opposed. That includes more than 70% of Democrats and independents and even a plurality of GOP voters (46/43)."

 

In short, the country wants President Obama to lay off of marijuana.

 

You can see Mason-Dixon's results in PDF format here (Marijuana Policy Project).

 

[Camnibus]

And miss out on all that "drug lord" money?... I'm not seeing it.

[AmishRnot4ganja]

Maybe the government does not want to come out and "give their blessing" to the use of cannabis. That would send the message that they think it is OK to use. They have to continue to fight it so that they will appear to be against its use. If the general public overwhelmingly supports it, then the government can stand back and still maintain its role as the "concerned adult". Then if things go wrong they can step in and claim that they were against it all along, thereby adding to their credibility.

[greenbuddha]

Cannabis remains illegal because of all the money that is made on BOTH sides... the government employees (LEO agencies) and the gangs that run the underground trade.

 

Why would either side want to cut off their money flow???.

[mizerman]

I'm still voting for Obama

[Herb Cannabis]

I wonder if the problem isn't more like the government can't admit that they were wrong about marijuana, may be they are afraid that they might have to pay the good people that were wrongly jailed. And all of the above as well I'm sure!