Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Most Virginia voters favor legalizing marijuana, with the vast majority saying they probably wouldn't use the drug if possessing it wasn't a crime, according to a new poll released today.
The telephone survey by The Quinnipiac University Poll found that close to nine of every 10 people surveyed wanted doctors to be able to legally prescribe marijuana for medicinal purposes.
Just over half - 54 percent - wanted broader legalization, allowing adults to possess a small amount of the drug for personal use. Forty-one percent opposed legalization and 5 percent didn't know or didn't say.
Support for legalization varied by political party affiliation and age, according to the poll, which was conducted March 29-April 7.
"Young people overwhelmingly favor legalization of marijuana, while older folks are not so high on recreational use," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Connecticut-based poll.
Three of every four voters under age 35 supported making recreational use legal while just over half of people 35 to 54 years old shared that view. But most over age 54 wanted marijuana use to remain illegal.
Most self-identified Democrats and independents surveyed said they supported legalization but most Republicans did not.
Even if the drug were legal, 85 percent of those polled said they wouldn't use marijuana.
Virginia's lawmakers have indicated as recently as this year's General Assembly session that they do not support legalizing the drug for recreational use or broad medicinal use.
The GOP-controlled legislature this spring approved legalizing two derivatives of the marijuana plant for treating severe epilepsy. The state already allows the use of medical marijuana for treatment of cancer and glaucoma.
But legislation that would decriminalize possession of a small amount of the drug was rejected in a state Senate committee. The failed bill would have changed possession from a criminal misdemeanor to a civil infraction punishable by a $100 fine.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe has said he supports medical use of marijuana.
The Quinnipiac poll findings are similar to those of a voter survey conducted in January by Christopher Newport University's Wason Center for Public Policy. The center reported that 7 in 10 Virginia voters supported decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana.
Quinnipiac's recent Virginia poll was part of a three-state survey where they reported similar levels of support for medicinal use in Colorado, where marijuana possession by adults is legal, and Iowa, where it is not.
However, Iowans were split over whether personal use should be legal, and three of every four Colorado voters support their state law.
The Quinnipiac landline and cellphone survey of 961 voters in Virginia, 948 voters in Iowa and 894 in Colorado has a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Poll: Most Virginians want marijuana to be legal | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com
Author: Bill Bartel
Contact: HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com : Contact us
Photo Credit: Brennan Linsey
Website: HamptonRoads.com: Entertainment and Guides for Hampton Roads, Va.
The telephone survey by The Quinnipiac University Poll found that close to nine of every 10 people surveyed wanted doctors to be able to legally prescribe marijuana for medicinal purposes.
Just over half - 54 percent - wanted broader legalization, allowing adults to possess a small amount of the drug for personal use. Forty-one percent opposed legalization and 5 percent didn't know or didn't say.
Support for legalization varied by political party affiliation and age, according to the poll, which was conducted March 29-April 7.
"Young people overwhelmingly favor legalization of marijuana, while older folks are not so high on recreational use," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Connecticut-based poll.
Three of every four voters under age 35 supported making recreational use legal while just over half of people 35 to 54 years old shared that view. But most over age 54 wanted marijuana use to remain illegal.
Most self-identified Democrats and independents surveyed said they supported legalization but most Republicans did not.
Even if the drug were legal, 85 percent of those polled said they wouldn't use marijuana.
Virginia's lawmakers have indicated as recently as this year's General Assembly session that they do not support legalizing the drug for recreational use or broad medicinal use.
The GOP-controlled legislature this spring approved legalizing two derivatives of the marijuana plant for treating severe epilepsy. The state already allows the use of medical marijuana for treatment of cancer and glaucoma.
But legislation that would decriminalize possession of a small amount of the drug was rejected in a state Senate committee. The failed bill would have changed possession from a criminal misdemeanor to a civil infraction punishable by a $100 fine.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe has said he supports medical use of marijuana.
The Quinnipiac poll findings are similar to those of a voter survey conducted in January by Christopher Newport University's Wason Center for Public Policy. The center reported that 7 in 10 Virginia voters supported decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana.
Quinnipiac's recent Virginia poll was part of a three-state survey where they reported similar levels of support for medicinal use in Colorado, where marijuana possession by adults is legal, and Iowa, where it is not.
However, Iowans were split over whether personal use should be legal, and three of every four Colorado voters support their state law.
The Quinnipiac landline and cellphone survey of 961 voters in Virginia, 948 voters in Iowa and 894 in Colorado has a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Poll: Most Virginians want marijuana to be legal | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com
Author: Bill Bartel
Contact: HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com : Contact us
Photo Credit: Brennan Linsey
Website: HamptonRoads.com: Entertainment and Guides for Hampton Roads, Va.
