Gray Rohrer
Those backing a ballot measure to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes have some work to do before November.
That’s according to a poll released by Florida Atlantic University’s Communication and Public Opinion Research Lab and Mainstreet Research, a Canada-based polling firm.
The survey results show just 47% of respondents support the measure, which will appear as Amendment 3 on the ballot, far short of the 60% needed to become law. But while 35% oppose it, there are 18% who are undecided, giving supporters a pool of voters to persuade in the coming months.
Older voters, those 65 and above, have the most tepid support for Amendment 3, at 36%. But middle-age voters, those aged 35-49, are the most enthusiastic, with 68% in favor. Less than half of younger voters, those 18-34, support the measure, about 48%, or the same level as those aged 50-64.
Democratic voters are the most supportive, backing it at 58%, with Republicans at 39% support and 43% of independents backing it. Among racial and ethnic groups, Black voters are most in favor, at 55%, and Hispanics are most skeptical with just 30% support. About 50% of White voters are in favor.
Amendment 3 would legalize the use of marijuana for recreational purposes by those over 21. It would also grant licensed medical marijuana treatment centers the ability to “acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell, and distribute” marijuana and related products for such use.
The amendment also notes that it doesn’t change federal law, which still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug.
If 60% of voters approve the measure, it would take effect six months after the November election.
Medical marijuana company Trulieve has sunk more than $40 million into the effort to gather petitions and get the measure on the ballot, and a handful of other companies donated $14.9 million in the first three months of the year to help pass it. Gov. Ron DeSantis has criticized the amendment as overly broad.
There were 865 respondents to the poll, which was based on text messages and automated calls and conducted from April 15-17. It has a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points.
18 comments
Hung Wiil
April 18, 2024 at 1:51 pm
Legalize it mon.
Dont Say FLA
April 19, 2024 at 2:16 pm
Yeah! Legalize weed! Outlaw Assley and Rhonda!
ScienceBLVR
April 18, 2024 at 2:38 pm
Vote YES and remember…
When logic and proportion
Have fallen sloppy dead
And the White Knight is talking backwards
And the Red Queen’s off with her head
Remember what the Dormouse said
Feed your head
Feed your head
Earl Pitts "RON'S OFFICIAL "UNOFFICIAL VPOTUS CAMPAIGN MANAGER" American
April 18, 2024 at 5:43 pm
Y’all A”int gonna ever see 60%.
Earl Pitts American
rick whitaker
April 18, 2024 at 6:25 pm
EARL, WRONG AS ALWAYS, SHITTS HAS SPOKEN
Earl Pitts "RON'S OFFICIAL "UNOFFICIAL VPOTUS CAMPAIGN MANAGER" American
April 19, 2024 at 1:33 am
Excellent Wackey Leftist Follow-Up Commentary cleaverly designed to build up our reader’s love and adoration of my Sage Wisdom.
Rick you are The Wind Beneith My Wings and a vital “Opinion Shaper” of All Things Good & All Things Earl.
Thanks Rick,
Earl Pitts “Rick’s Sage Boss-Man” American
rick whitaker
April 19, 2024 at 7:23 pm
ONCE AGAIN, WARNING, EARL, WRONG AS ALWAYS, SHITS HAS SPOKEN
Dont Say FLA
April 19, 2024 at 2:17 pm
Pops, you sell weed?
You been holding out on me all these years?
Dammit, Pops! Dammit!
rick whitaker
April 19, 2024 at 6:45 pm
OF COURSE EARL SELLS WEED, THAT’S HOW HE GETS PEOPLE TO COME BY AND ” TALK ” TO HIM. OLD TECHNIQUE GUYS LIKE EARL HAVE BEEN USING FOR YEARS.
Lucinda
April 19, 2024 at 3:39 am
I am a latino Democrat .I am voting NO to legalize marijuana in November.
Dont Say FLA
April 19, 2024 at 2:20 pm
I am a such and such and I am voting No. Therefore if you’re a such and such like me, you should vote No too.
Rhonda and Assley’s Trollbots are hard at work.
Okay then, I am Latino Democrat too. I am voting YES!
TBH, I’m not a Latino Democrat, but neither is “Lucinda,” so that’s perfectly Fine
Josh Green
April 22, 2024 at 10:46 pm
Well that’s a pretty stupid take.
Joe
April 23, 2024 at 2:53 pm
Suuuure you are, Lucinda.
Dont Say FLA
April 19, 2024 at 2:14 pm
You don’t have to support weed to support this bill that takes away the PoPo’s golden ticket into any place they ever wish to enter.
With weed outlawed, the PoPo can just claim they smelled weed and/or their dog sat down, and that gets them in the door.
That unwarranted, blanket invasion into citizen’s private spaces ain’t right. What it is is a lingering aftereffect, left over from the racism of the 1950s and the 1960s.
It’s giant flashing sign that reads “Don’t give the government special policing powers over people you don’t like because if, for no other reason, sooner or later those police powers will be lorded over you, too”
Joe
April 23, 2024 at 2:52 pm
The G.Q.P. supermajority in Florida has absolutely demoralized your voting population. Mission accomplished, RepubliKKKans!
It's Complicated
April 24, 2024 at 11:18 am
If they are going to legalize weed in the State Constitution, it should be treated like beer and wine, in that people should be able to grow it for personal consumption. Put an end to the ‘medical marijuana’ monopolies and stop arresting people for simple possession.
Having said that, people need to be aware that DAILY smoking of MJ has deleterious effects. It is not harmless. Per a recently published study in the Journal of the American Heart Association, with a sample size of over 434K, DAILY smoking of weed increases odds of heart attack (myocardial infarction) by 25% and increases odds of a stroke by 42%. If it was a drug on the path of FDA approval, it would never be approved with that level of side effects. Edibles and topical applications are not included in the study.
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.123.030178
Mark
April 24, 2024 at 5:19 pm
That might have something to do with the ingestion of White Castle’s after blazing up. That said, if we took the same attitude toward alcohol we would ban it again, with the same stupid results. The only ED visits I get from potheads is hyperemesis. Alcohol:
Blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, trauma from MVC’s, afib, ascites, liver failure, kidney failure, delirium, and on and on. Weed smoking will kill your lungs, but so will time.
Sundance
April 25, 2024 at 5:28 pm
First the fight against tobacco and cigs are like 6 a pack. Now stoned and car insurance rates