The ACLU released a poll in which 65 percent of people expressed support for legalizing, taxing, and regulating marijuana in California in 2016. California is way overdue when it comes to marijuana legalization. For so many years I assumed that California would be the first to legalize marijuana statewide. Will California legalize in 2016? Below is the Executive Summary of the poll:
“The survey makes it clear that voters offer strong support for legalizing marijuana when it is coupled with a comprehensive regulatory system and an ability to collect revenues to fund public services. Specifically, nearly two-thirds of voters (65 percent) support a proposal to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana in California for adults. In fact, nearly half of voters (46 percent) strongly support a measure compared to less than a third of voters (32 percent, 27 percent strongly) who oppose it, with the remaining three percent undecided.”
The poll broke down poll results by area:
The Bay Area leads the way as nearly three quarters of voters in this region (73 percent) support this reform, followed by San Diego County (67 percent). There is also strong support in Los Angeles County (65 percent), the Central Valley (65 percent), the Sacramento Area and North (63 percent), LA Area (59 percent – consisting of the counties surrounding LA County) and the Inland Empire (58 percent).
Something that was significant was support among women (65 percent). Almost every poll I have seen prior to this one showed a majority of men supported marijuana legalization, but not women, and definitely 65 percent. That’s outstanding process. Will California be the third state to legalize when the 2016 Election rolls around? Or do you think that another state will step up before then, either through the legislative process or the 2014 Election?
