T
The420Guy
Guest
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A new 10-state poll shows strong, bipartisan
support for laws that protect medical marijuana users from arrest.
Last month, the Lucas Organization surveyed more than 1,000 voters
in each of 10 western and midwestern states to determine the relative
levels of support for medical marijuana. Four of those states --
Alaska, Colorado, Nevada, and Oregon -- have medical marijuana laws on
the books. The six remaining states -- Arizona, Montana, Nebraska,
North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming -- do not have such laws.
Among the four states with existing medical marijuana laws, support
for those laws ranges from 74.3 percent support in Alaska up to
78.6 percent support in Nevada. Among the other six states, support
for passing a medical marijuana law ranges from 63.3 percent in North
Dakota up to 72.3 percent in Arizona. A medical marijuana initiative
is expected to be on the Arizona ballot this November.
"This poll shows that the voters in the four states with medical
marijuana laws are pleased with these laws," said Rob Kampia,
executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington,
D.C., which commissioned the 10-state poll. "Indeed, the four existing
laws are receiving higher levels of support than these measures
originally received on Election Day." The Alaska and Oregon measures
were passed in 1998, and the Colorado and Nevada measures were passed
in 2000.
"The poll in the six states without medical marijuana laws shows
that the voters would easily pass such ballot measures in all six
states," said Kampia. "In fact, we are looking at running medical
marijuana initiatives in Montana and North Dakota this year, and we'll
hit the remaining four states in 2004."
The 10-state poll included five questions relating to medical
marijuana. The first asked the voters about their level of support for
a basic medical marijuana law that allows seriously ill patients to
"use and grow their own medical marijuana with the approval of their
physicians." For details and answers to the remaining four questions
(listed below), please see Marijuana Policy Project | We Change Laws .
"If your own state legislators or members of Congress vote for a
bill to allow seriously ill patients to use medical marijuana with
the approval of their physicians, would you be more likely or less
likely to vote for these elected officials in the November general
election?"
"In eight states, it is legal to possess and grow your own
marijuana for medical purposes if you have the approval of your
physician, but medical marijuana distribution remains illegal in
all 50 states. Suppose an initiative is placed on the November
ballot in your state that would make it legal for medical clinics
or non-profit organizations to buy medical marijuana from farmers
and sell it to seriously ill patients. What is your level of
support for this ballot measure?"
"The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that it is illegal under
federal law for medical clinics to buy and sell medical marijuana.
Suppose that an initiative on the November ballot would make
medical marijuana distribution and sales legal under your state's
law, while it would remain illegal under federal law. What is your
level of support for such a ballot measure?"
"Suppose an initiative is placed on the November ballot that would
require your state government to grow and distribute marijuana to
seriously ill patients who have the approval of their physicians.
What is your level of support for this ballot measure?"
support for laws that protect medical marijuana users from arrest.
Last month, the Lucas Organization surveyed more than 1,000 voters
in each of 10 western and midwestern states to determine the relative
levels of support for medical marijuana. Four of those states --
Alaska, Colorado, Nevada, and Oregon -- have medical marijuana laws on
the books. The six remaining states -- Arizona, Montana, Nebraska,
North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming -- do not have such laws.
Among the four states with existing medical marijuana laws, support
for those laws ranges from 74.3 percent support in Alaska up to
78.6 percent support in Nevada. Among the other six states, support
for passing a medical marijuana law ranges from 63.3 percent in North
Dakota up to 72.3 percent in Arizona. A medical marijuana initiative
is expected to be on the Arizona ballot this November.
"This poll shows that the voters in the four states with medical
marijuana laws are pleased with these laws," said Rob Kampia,
executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington,
D.C., which commissioned the 10-state poll. "Indeed, the four existing
laws are receiving higher levels of support than these measures
originally received on Election Day." The Alaska and Oregon measures
were passed in 1998, and the Colorado and Nevada measures were passed
in 2000.
"The poll in the six states without medical marijuana laws shows
that the voters would easily pass such ballot measures in all six
states," said Kampia. "In fact, we are looking at running medical
marijuana initiatives in Montana and North Dakota this year, and we'll
hit the remaining four states in 2004."
The 10-state poll included five questions relating to medical
marijuana. The first asked the voters about their level of support for
a basic medical marijuana law that allows seriously ill patients to
"use and grow their own medical marijuana with the approval of their
physicians." For details and answers to the remaining four questions
(listed below), please see Marijuana Policy Project | We Change Laws .
"If your own state legislators or members of Congress vote for a
bill to allow seriously ill patients to use medical marijuana with
the approval of their physicians, would you be more likely or less
likely to vote for these elected officials in the November general
election?"
"In eight states, it is legal to possess and grow your own
marijuana for medical purposes if you have the approval of your
physician, but medical marijuana distribution remains illegal in
all 50 states. Suppose an initiative is placed on the November
ballot in your state that would make it legal for medical clinics
or non-profit organizations to buy medical marijuana from farmers
and sell it to seriously ill patients. What is your level of
support for this ballot measure?"
"The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that it is illegal under
federal law for medical clinics to buy and sell medical marijuana.
Suppose that an initiative on the November ballot would make
medical marijuana distribution and sales legal under your state's
law, while it would remain illegal under federal law. What is your
level of support for such a ballot measure?"
"Suppose an initiative is placed on the November ballot that would
require your state government to grow and distribute marijuana to
seriously ill patients who have the approval of their physicians.
What is your level of support for this ballot measure?"
