Freaktan
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Statewide Poll Shows Overwhelming Support
State Rep. Gregg Underheim (R-Oshkosh), joined by a bipartisan coalition of 14 Assembly cosponsors, has introduced legislation to protect seriously ill patients from arrest and jail if they use medical marijuana with their physicians' recommendation. The bill's introduction comes on the heels of a statewide poll showing greater than 4-to-1 support for such a measure.
"This bill has one purpose: To protect the sick and suffering," Rep. Underheim said. "If someone's doctor believes that marijuana might help them, that patient should not be threatened with arrest and jail."
The bill would allow seriously ill patients with a doctor's recommendation to possess and use a limited amount of marijuana for medical use. It is modeled after successful legislation currently in force in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.
Support for medical marijuana legislation was measured in a statewide poll by Chamberlain Research Consultants, released Sept. 14. 75.7% of Wisconsinites said they would support legislation to permit patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, or other serious illnesses to use marijuana for medical purposes with a doctor's approval, with 18.2% opposed and 6.2% either unsure or declining to answer. Republicans supported the proposal by a margin of 68% to 24.4%, while among Democrats the margin was 83.9% to 10.9%. Support for the proposal topped 70% in all age groups.
The telephone survey of 600 randomly selected Wisconsin residents was conducted from July 11-22, 2005, as part of Chamberlain's quarterly Wisconsin Trends poll. Polling on the medical marijuana question was commissioned and paid for by the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP). The survey's margin of error is plus or minus 3.97%. Detailed poll results appear below.
"With such strong support from all sides of the political spectrum, we are hopeful the medical marijuana bill will move forward quickly," said MPP Legislative Analyst Adam Horowitz. "Wisconsin residents believe seriously ill patients should not have to live in fear, and we are optimistic that legislators will listen to their constituents and give Wisconsin patients the protection they deserve.
POLL RESULTS (in percentages):
QUESTION: Under Wisconsin law, the use of marijuana is illegal, including for medical purposes. Currently in the Wisconsin legislature, there is a bill pending that would allow people with cancer, multiple sclerosis, or other serious illnesses to use marijuana for medical purposes, as long as their physician approves. Do you support or oppose this bill?
OVERALL SAMPLE:
Support: 75.7
Oppose: 18.2
Don't know/refused to answer: 6.2
RESULTS BY PARTY:
Republican
Support: 68.0
Oppose: 24.4
Don't know/refused: 6.4
Democrat
Support: 83.9
Oppose: 10.9
Don't know/refused: 5.2
Other
Support: 61.1
Oppose: 22.2
Don't know/refused: 16.7
RESULTS BY AGE:
18-24
Support: 75.4
Oppose: 17.5
Don't know/refused: 7.0
25-34
Support: 73.4
Oppose: 20.3
Don't know/refused: 6.4
35-44
Support: 82.2
Oppose: 11.9
Don't know/refused: 5.9
45-54
Support: 71.7
Oppose: 22.8
Don't know/refused: 5.5
55-64
Support: 83.5
Oppose: 11.8
Don't know/refused: 4.7
65+
Support: 70.2
Oppose: 21.8
Don't know/refused: 8.1
With more than 18,000 members and 120,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP works to minimize the harm associated with marijuana–both the consumption of marijuana and the laws that are intended to prohibit such use. MPP believes that the greatest harm associated with marijuana is imprisonment. For more information, please visit www.MarijuanaPolicy.org.
Newshawk: Freaktan - 420Times.com
Source: MPP.org
Copyright: 2005 MPP.org
Contact: info@mpp.org
Website: Marijuana Policy Project - We Change Laws!
Author: Staff - MPP.org
State Rep. Gregg Underheim (R-Oshkosh), joined by a bipartisan coalition of 14 Assembly cosponsors, has introduced legislation to protect seriously ill patients from arrest and jail if they use medical marijuana with their physicians' recommendation. The bill's introduction comes on the heels of a statewide poll showing greater than 4-to-1 support for such a measure.
"This bill has one purpose: To protect the sick and suffering," Rep. Underheim said. "If someone's doctor believes that marijuana might help them, that patient should not be threatened with arrest and jail."
The bill would allow seriously ill patients with a doctor's recommendation to possess and use a limited amount of marijuana for medical use. It is modeled after successful legislation currently in force in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.
Support for medical marijuana legislation was measured in a statewide poll by Chamberlain Research Consultants, released Sept. 14. 75.7% of Wisconsinites said they would support legislation to permit patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, or other serious illnesses to use marijuana for medical purposes with a doctor's approval, with 18.2% opposed and 6.2% either unsure or declining to answer. Republicans supported the proposal by a margin of 68% to 24.4%, while among Democrats the margin was 83.9% to 10.9%. Support for the proposal topped 70% in all age groups.
The telephone survey of 600 randomly selected Wisconsin residents was conducted from July 11-22, 2005, as part of Chamberlain's quarterly Wisconsin Trends poll. Polling on the medical marijuana question was commissioned and paid for by the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP). The survey's margin of error is plus or minus 3.97%. Detailed poll results appear below.
"With such strong support from all sides of the political spectrum, we are hopeful the medical marijuana bill will move forward quickly," said MPP Legislative Analyst Adam Horowitz. "Wisconsin residents believe seriously ill patients should not have to live in fear, and we are optimistic that legislators will listen to their constituents and give Wisconsin patients the protection they deserve.
POLL RESULTS (in percentages):
QUESTION: Under Wisconsin law, the use of marijuana is illegal, including for medical purposes. Currently in the Wisconsin legislature, there is a bill pending that would allow people with cancer, multiple sclerosis, or other serious illnesses to use marijuana for medical purposes, as long as their physician approves. Do you support or oppose this bill?
OVERALL SAMPLE:
Support: 75.7
Oppose: 18.2
Don't know/refused to answer: 6.2
RESULTS BY PARTY:
Republican
Support: 68.0
Oppose: 24.4
Don't know/refused: 6.4
Democrat
Support: 83.9
Oppose: 10.9
Don't know/refused: 5.2
Other
Support: 61.1
Oppose: 22.2
Don't know/refused: 16.7
RESULTS BY AGE:
18-24
Support: 75.4
Oppose: 17.5
Don't know/refused: 7.0
25-34
Support: 73.4
Oppose: 20.3
Don't know/refused: 6.4
35-44
Support: 82.2
Oppose: 11.9
Don't know/refused: 5.9
45-54
Support: 71.7
Oppose: 22.8
Don't know/refused: 5.5
55-64
Support: 83.5
Oppose: 11.8
Don't know/refused: 4.7
65+
Support: 70.2
Oppose: 21.8
Don't know/refused: 8.1
With more than 18,000 members and 120,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP works to minimize the harm associated with marijuana–both the consumption of marijuana and the laws that are intended to prohibit such use. MPP believes that the greatest harm associated with marijuana is imprisonment. For more information, please visit www.MarijuanaPolicy.org.
Newshawk: Freaktan - 420Times.com
Source: MPP.org
Copyright: 2005 MPP.org
Contact: info@mpp.org
Website: Marijuana Policy Project - We Change Laws!
Author: Staff - MPP.org
