Thursday, May 07, 2009

52% SAY LEGALIZE POT

After being outlawed in the 1930's, and having had the organized group NORML lobbying for the last 40 plus years to legalize it, a new Zogby Poll says that 52% of the American public are for the legalization, regulation, and taxation of marijuana.

From the Salem-News.com:

New Poll: 52% Say Marijuana Should Be Legal, Taxed, Regulated


Zogby Poll Commissioned by Conservative Group Is Similar to Other Recent Surveys.

Cannabis plant
"Cannabis by Night"
Colurtesy: geopium.org

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - A new Zogby poll commissioned by the conservative-leaning O'Leary Report has found 52 percent voter support for treating marijuana as a legal, taxed, regulated substance.

The survey, published as a full-page ad in today's issue of the political newspaper The Hill, polled a sample of 3,937 voters weighted to match the 2008 presidential outcome -- 54 percent Obama voters and 46 percent McCain supporters.

"This new survey continues the recent trend of strong and growing support for taxing and regulating marijuana and ending the disastrously failed policy of prohibition," said Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C.

Voters were asked: "Scarce law enforcement and prison resources, a desire to neutralize drug cartels and the need for new sources of revenue have resurrected the topic of legalizing marijuana. Proponents say it makes sense to tax and regulate the drug while opponents say that legalization would lead marijuana users to use other illegal drugs. Would you favor or oppose the government's effort to legalize marijuana?"

The results showed a decisive majority of 52 percent in favor with 37 percent opposed and 11 percent not sure -- slightly higher than the 46 percent support reported in an ABC News/Washington Post poll released at the end of April.

In California, the respected Field poll recently found 56 percent support for making marijuana a taxed, regulated product that is legal for adults.

"Voters are coming to realize that marijuana prohibition gives us the worst of all possible worlds -- a drug that's widely available but totally unregulated, whose producers and sellers pay no taxes but whose profits often support murderous drug cartels," Kampia said.

"The public is way ahead of the politicians on this."

With more than 27,000 members and 100,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol.

...and from Raw Story:

Poll: Majority of Americans support legalizing marijuana

Fifty two percent of Americans support legalizing, taxing and regulating marijuana, according to a new Zogby poll released late Wednesday.

3,937 voters were asked: “Scarce law enforcement and prison resources, a desire to neutralize drug cartels and the need for new sources of revenue have resurrected the topic of legalizing marijuana. Proponents say it makes sense to tax and regulate the drug while opponents say that legalization would lead marijuana users to use other illegal drugs. Would you favor or oppose the government’s effort to legalize marijuana?”

52 percent came out in favor, with 37 percent against. The poll was commissioned by the conservative-leaning O’Leary report.

“The survey, published as a full-page ad in [Wednesday's] issue of the political newspaper The Hill, polled a sample of 3,937 voters weighted to match the 2008 presidential outcome — 54 percent Obama voters and 46 percent McCain supporters,” Salem News reported.

The results are “slightly higher than the 46 percent support reported in an ABC News/Washington Post poll released at the end of April.”

16 comments:

Sue said...

Eddie I don't know why but I have a terrible time getting to your blog and reading thru without my computer freezing up or acting all wacky!
Anyway.. I'm here now and will I get in big trouble if I say I know people who smoke pot and have done it for YEARS! I don't believe it is addictive, I don't believe it leads to stronger drugs, I believe you can go to work everyday and lead a very normal life if you are a user. Don't you think legalizing it will just bring the smokers out of the closet and not really effect or intice new smokers? If its legal I can bet you will have thousands and thousands of happy go lucky people walking around!

Grandpa Eddie said...

Well, Sue, it's safer than alcohol. I know a lot of "pot heads" and I have never seen any of them get into a fight, or get a speeding ticket, while stoned.

It's not addictive like alcohol of harder drugs. It's safer than cigarettes. If it brings all the "closet smokers" out of the closet so be it.

California has already figured that they could collect $1.2 billion/year in taxes, and if they could do that, just think what we as a country do with the tax dollars off the sale of legal and regulated pot.

To be honest with ya, I've been looking forward to legalization for 40 years.

Grandpa Eddie said...

Sue - I can only come up with one reason you may be having trouble pulling up my blog. I have a lot of videos on it, and if you are using DSL the videos will slow down the downloading.

Gordon said...

I have DSL and your blog loads fine.

One of the cable outfits calls it 'Download Speed Limiter'.

Beautiful photo, by the way.

Let's hope some common sense prevails on weed legalization. It's lemonade compared to other drugs, like booze.

Grandpa Eddie said...

Gordon - I just figured it might be DSL, 'cause when we had it everything loaded slow.

Yeah, I thought that was a pretty cool pic, too. Wish I had that stashed here.

I'm really hopping this legalization get's rollin'...Heh...rollin' ;)

themom said...

I'm having the same problem as Sue. I have to restart the program. No biggie, I will get used to re-starting every time.

Anyway...I have been a member of NORML since 1971. Yes, I smoke pot. Not as frequently as I used to - but no biggie either. I've said it many times before, I would rather be around someone stoned than drunk!

Grandpa Eddie said...

themom - I'm not sure just what the problem is. I thought it might be DSL because of all the videos I have posted, but Gordon said he has DSL and it loads fine for him.

I love my pot, too. Just haven't been able to get any since I got laid off, can't afford it.

One Fly said...

I am not a criminal nor are my friends. it is not addictive and please before I croak can we make some changes in this absurd policy we have on drugs. Oh yes Kalifornia bring it on.

Gramps- I have the same issue as the others. It's the same with other sites that have many posts on their page. I counted 45 on yours. Change to half that or less and I think the issue will go away. Along with the videos that's a massive amount to load up.

Grandpa Eddie said...

One Fly - As far as I'm concerned NONE of us pot heads are criminals, the law is the only criminal aspect.

I took a bunch of posts off, see if that helps.

themom said...

Hey there...your site loaded much easier and no problems this morning. You may have fixed the problem. Way to go dude!

your word verification: heductor

I imagine that is someone who assists in getting heads out of asses?!?!?

Grandpa Eddie said...

themom - I reduced the amount of posts that I had on my main page in hopes that it would help, and it seems that it has. I'm glad it worked. I know that I find it troubling when a blog I want to read doesn't load in a reasonable amount of time.

"heductor".....must be a Rethuglican job.

David Aquarius said...

hey Mom! We've been in NORML about the same time!

I call it Sudden Forehead Adjustment Syndrome. When you realize that a long held belief is nothing more than bullshit that some tool on television got you to believe.

Marijuana was never a problem, only a convenient diversion. Anslinger, the goon that originally pushed for criminalization, was a devout racist and right wing ideologue. He used mainstream Americans ignorance about pot and their fear of brown people to demonize pot.

Scary black people and swarmy latins smoked pot. They gonna come in and get your daughters stoned and take their virginity.

Perhaps now, we can get past this bullshit and use the gift that Mom Nature intended us to.

You can wear it, eat it, sleep under it, sleep with in, sleep in it, walk on it, walk in it, use it to tie up your enemies or your best friend, you can write on it, write with it, write about it, take it when you feel bad or when you want to feel good, you can weave it, knead it, bake it and smoke it, roll it and toke it... all in all quite a versatile gift.

Grandpa Eddie said...

"...tie up your enemies or your best friend..."

David - Hmmm...that best friend thing sounds kinda kinky...and fun.

I know there's a lot of things one can do with pot, but all I want to do is smoke it......well, maybe that kinky thing, too.

David Aquarius said...

Hear dat!

One Fly said...

It seems to have worked quite a bit quicker GE. Hate to say too much but the others brought it up. I had noticed that on mine quite some time ago and I guess if anyone needs to see more swill one can go to older posts at the bottom of the page.

Grandpa Eddie said...

One Fly - I should have realized that I had way too many posts on my main page. I had trouble getting it to load when we were using DSL.