U.S. Support for Legalizing Marijuana Reaches New High

Source: Gallup

U.S. Support for Legalizing Marijuana Reaches New High
Majority in the West favors taxing marijuana sales to boost state revenues
by Lydia Saad
Page: 12

PRINCETON, NJ -- Gallup's October Crime poll finds 44% of Americans in favor of making marijuana legal and 54% opposed. U.S. public support for legalizing marijuana was fixed in the 25% range from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, but acceptance jumped to 31% in 2000 and has continued to grow throughout this decade.



Public opinion is virtually the same on a question that relates to a public policy debate brewing in California -- whether marijuana should be legalized and taxed as a way of raising revenue for state governments. Just over 4 in 10 Americans (42%) say they would favor this in their own state; 56% are opposed. Support is markedly higher among residents of the West -- where an outright majority favor the proposal -- than in the South and Midwest. The views of Eastern residents fall about in the middle.

"The highest level of support for decriminalizing the use of marijuana today is seen with self-described liberals, among whom 78% are in favor."





Read more: http://www.gallup.com/poll/123728/U.S.-Support-Legalizing-Marijuana-Reaches-New-High.aspx

'nuff said. :smoke:

n/t

Some of the puns are so bad, I feel sorry for the on camera folk who have to read them.

Tax & regulate pot the same way that alcohol & cigarettes are taxed & regulated. The government could use the money!

I'm sorry some folks are askeerd of weed. It's a frightening world out there.

Poll likely voters and the numbers will tell you why.

As the security state continues to root them out they may change their tune.

The discussion has started, so it's really just a matter of time now. Like with gay marriage, this will start out as a state-by-state thing. Massachusetts has decriminalized possession of small amounts - they write you a ticket if you're found with it - and Vermont won't like the fact that Mass is out ahead of them on this issue, so look for outright legalization in some state soon.

Now, legalization in tobacco states or big brewery states? Not likely anytime soon.

Tobacco revenues have been declining as tobacco sales have dropped and there are probably plenty of tobacco farmers who would gladly switch to a more profitable crop. They can't all go to growing strawberries.

;-)

Part of the reason they are dying is because this isn't legal.Blaming Mexico's woes on Americans isn't the right way to push for legalization of weed but it should be noted that the cartels wouldn't have anywhere the hold they have-if their cash crop became worthless overnight.

if it were made legal- demand would go up at least initially, as more businesses would open to sell it, and they'd need something to stock the shelves.

When's the last time you heard of the CEO of Anhauser-Bush calling for a hit on Coors?

for one thing- the u.s.' drug laws aren't mexico's drug laws.

compared to Prohibition? Just as the cartels war on each other, the booze runners fought each other far more than they fought the feds. And in case you haven't noticed, the cartels are quite happy ignoring everybody's laws.

Remove the illegality of the product in its primary market, and the violence will disappear - just as the Prohibition violence vanished with the 21st Amendment.

Yes the day after legalization the cartels would probably get an initial boost in revenue due to increased demand. But as soon as new suppliers start springing up in droves (which they will) the monopoly power of the cartels will end and the price of marijuana will drop drastically. It may drop so low that the opportunity cost of selling marijuana is too high for the cartels.

even if bunches more people started growing the day it became legal- it's going to take several months to first harvest- and for many of those, there will be a learning curve to growing- so first harvests might not be the best.

but eventually, yes- the cartels would lose some power in the area of pot- although if it became legal in terms of being a commercial product- they coulds become legal suppliers to commercial enterprises.

otherwise- the cartels would concentrate more on harder drugs- like coke and heroin...and if THOSE were legalized, they'd definitely become 'legitimate' suppliers- because people can't realistically grow coca plants and opium poppies in their backyards.

Considering you're new here I guess it's OK for you to wear your agenda on your sleeve.

I would caution that you tread lightly.

:toast:

Instead of treading lightly, let's stomp hard.

Unless it was Opposite Day, or April Fool's Day.

I can dig it.

--d!

The only people I know who stand against it
are politicians and law enforcement people.

Really.

According to Gallup, Republicans tend not to support legalization. Liberals, on the other hand, 78% support it.

Bush turned 'em.....

Then again, I'm in Michigan, so Democrats tend
to outnumber them...

:sarcasm: ??




This is CHANGE !!!

Not a lot of sympathy for unemployed narcs here.

Has the public inhaled?

;-)

functional governing that eliminates the estrangement of "We the People" from our government.

Thanks for the thread and peace to you, kpete.:thumbsup:

California, here we come, doo-dah, doo-dah

I hope the 2010 legalization initiative wins in California.

Imagine the money and job creation spurred by legalization.