A representative of the DEA warned Utah recently that if Utah legalized medical marijuana, it would lead to stoned rabbits all over the state. That scare tactic doesn’t seem to resonate with Utah voters that recently participated in a poll conducted by Y2 Analytics. The poll found that 72% of likely Utah voters support legalizing medical marijuana, as seen below in Y2’s press release:
Commissioned by Libertas Institute and the Drug Policy Project of Utah, Y2 Analytics surveyed a sample of 400 likely voters about their views on medical cannabis use for certain types of serious illnesses.
72% of likely voters support a policy in Utah that allows medical specialists to recommend cannabis to patients suffering from serious illnesses like cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s. Majority support is consistent across every identified demographic group, including 66% of Republicans (even 59% of self-identified Strong Republicans indicated support), 67% of self-described LDS or Mormon respondents, and 64% of respondents over 65.
52% of those surveyed have a friend or close family member who is suffering from cancer (34%), epilepsy (14%), or Alzheimer’s (31%). Among those who personally know a patient of one of these serious illnesses, 74% support allowing specialist doctors to recommend cannabis to their patients.
Respondents demonstrated a strong deference to medical expertise, prioritizing pharmaceutical flexibility for doctors over governmental regulations. 66% of likely voters agreed with the statement “It should be legal for people with terminal illnesses to use drugs recommended by their doctor but that have not been approved by the FDA,” while only 28% disagreed.
It is important to note that this survey did not ask respondents their opinions on non-medical cannabis use. This poll of 400 likely voters was conducted Feb 26-28, 2015 and carries a +- 4.9 percentage points margin of error. Live callers conducted the interviews over both landline phones and cell phones.
