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| Poll: 82 Percent Favor Medical Marijuana |
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Posted by CN Staff on November 21, 2013 at 07:34:36 PT By Marc Caputo Source: Miami Herald 
Miami -- If a medical marijuana initiative makes Florida's ballot next year, it could pass with an astonishing 82 percent of the vote, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday that finds voters also favor outright legalization as well. Support for the proposed constitutional amendment is strong among voters of every political stripe, age and income level, with independents lending the most support: 88 percent, the poll shows.The overall 82-16 percent support for medical marijuana is the biggest to date. The previous high-point for Florida approval was about 70 percent in a poll taken earlier this year by the medical-marijuana advocacy group, People United for Medical Marijuana. There are some differences in wording between the initiative and the Quinnipiac poll; the amendment says doctors can "recommend" marijuana, the poll asks if a doctor should be able to "prescribe" it. Still, medical marijuana is clearly popular. And marijuana legalization is becoming more-liked as well, albeit narrowly. Nearly half of Florida voters favor it — 48 percent — while 46 percent oppose pot legalization for personal use. That's within the margin of error, but it's a leading indicator of a shift in public opinion. Support for legalization is again strongest among independents (57-37 percent), and then Democrats (55-39 percent). But Republicans are opposed 30-64 percent. Contrast that with GOP voter support for medical marijuana is solid: 70-26 percent. One early poll and analysis from People United found that medical-marijuana was so popular that it could alter the course of the governor's race. Republican Gov. Rick Scott opposes medical marijuana; Democrats Charlie Crist and Nan Rich support the initiative, which is funded and led by Crist's employer, trial attorney John Morgan, a Democratic donor. A major Florida Republican donor, former ambassador Mel Sembler, is opposing the measure through his Drug Free America Foundation. In the race for governor, the Quinnipiac poll found Scott trailed Crist poll by 7 percentage points, 40-47 percent. That's an improvement for Scott, however, compared to the last Quinnipiac Poll in June, when the governor trailed by 10 percentage points. As for medical marijuana's fate, the proposed amendment — which takes 60 percent voter approval to pass in Florida — appears to be on an easy path to victory at the moment. But only if it makes the ballot. The Florida legislative leaders and the state's Attorney General want the state Supreme Court to block the measure from the ballot, saying the ballot summary is misleading and that it violates a rule that limits the scope of a constitutional amendment to a single subject. People United for Medical Marijuana, the advocacy group pushing the measure, say the criticisms are false. The Florida Supreme Court will hear the matter next month. Even if it passes constitutional muster, People United needs to collect 683,149 verified voter signatures by February. People United has gathered 200,000 so far, of which more than 110,000 had been verified last month. In November, Miami Beach voters approved a non-binding straw poll calling for medical marijuana by 64 percent. Source: Miami Herald (FL) CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archives Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help
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| Comment #5 posted by The GCW on November 26, 2013 at 12:09:56 PT |
| Re: Medical Marijuana Gets 82 Percent Support in New Poll - Nov.22 US FL: PUB LTE: A SHIFT IN ATTITUDES ON MARIJUANA It has become abundantly clear that not only are Americans asking for medical marijuana in increasing numbers, more are speaking in favor of recreational marijuana. When does this become too lucrative for the federal government to ignore? The war on drugs has not only been futile, it has been extremely expensive. In the poll reported by the Times , nearly half of Floridians favored recreational legalization. We live in an unequal America that supports medical marijuana in 21 states, two of which have legalized recreational marijuana. Dozens of other states have begun decriminalizing marijuana, and our nation's capital recently passed a law making simple marijuana possession no more serious than running a stop sign. As Floridians and equal Americans, we should have a fair chance to vote on a matter that carries such heavy criminal penalties. There has been a shift in attitudes toward marijuana, and with state budget cuts hitting so deeply, it would behoove Florida politicians to embrace the inevitable. Michael Downss, Tampa http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n564/a06.html?397 [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by runruff on November 22, 2013 at 05:01:35 PT |
| They love their jobs more than they love our freedoms! They care more about their lifestyle than they care about human suffering! They care more about being "right about this" than they care about the Constitution! They will lie, miss inform, kill, rob, and sell the drugs they have conficated in the name of "justice" and call it a perk for the good guys! The DEA is the viper that Nixon left at our breast! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by John Tyler on November 21, 2013 at 20:06:32 PT |
| 82% is very impressive. This is obviously a very popular issue. If politicians want to remain employed as politicians they will be wise to do what the public is demanding. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by The GCW on November 21, 2013 at 10:58:16 PT |
| Feds raid Denver-area marijuana dispensaries and grow operations http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_24570937/feds-involved-raid-at-denver-area-marijuana [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by The GCW on November 21, 2013 at 08:31:39 PT |
| The only hurdle is the ignoids who don't want citizens to even get the chance to vote on it. -0- "GOP voter support for medical marijuana is solid: 70-26 percent" YET, "Republican Gov. Rick Scott opposes medical marijuana." -0- The only thing standing between sick citizens and the God-given plant cannabis is blatant VILE ignorance. [ Post Comment ] |
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