Polling released today shows Washington’s I-502, which aims to regulate and tax marijuana use and sales by adults, is still tracking towards victory. With just 15 days left until Election Day, this poll shows the continued trend of support for Washington State’s marijuana initiative. This latest data, released by Strategies 360, has support for I-502 at 54% and opposition trailing at 38%.
The key to the initiative’s success may be its support amongst typically lagging demographics, such as women and the over 55 crowd. Women are currently supporting I-502 by a 52% to 41% margin and voters over 55 years old support it by a 52% to 38% margin. The highest support group is likely voters who identify or lean Democrat, 72% of whom said they support I-502.
If you live in Washington State there is still time to register. You can register in person to receive your ballot up until October 29th. To find out how, click here and check out the specifics for your current location and you can become a part of making Washington the first state to end marijuana prohibition. View the cross tabs and more data from this poll here.
Learn more about marijuana in the 2012 election by reading NORML’s voter guide, Smoke the Vote.
Good for you Washington. At least one of us has a good chance of winning. The numbers are starting to slip a little here in Colorado. I will vote and remain hopeful though.
Cannabis is an herb, saying otherwise is absurd!
How low did it slip for Colorado and Oregon? I read couple days back that Oregon is doing badly and I hope Washington and Colorado don’t slip any further… ugh I knew this would happen just like what happened to Prop 19 back in 2010~ Sigh..
Washington is doing well, as you can see, Colorado also seems to be holding a ten point advantage (average around 50% support to 40% opposed, 8 or so undecided. Both have a very good chance of passing, especially if we keep up our efforts in the final two weeks.
Wow, Rick Steves is a cool dude in my book. When we lost cable we watched Rick Steves Europe a whole ton. I always liked his attitude and never figured him a stoner since he isn’t dumb which is a stereotype. I will go buy Rick Steves Holland if I can find it. I would love to smoke 2-3 fat doobies in Stonehenge to the head. Godly places.
Just an Opinion but I think the most important marijauna election this time is the race for the Congressional seat from El Paso. You may remember Beto O’Rourke a legalizer bested his Democrat (prohibitionist)opponent in the primary. If he bests his Republican challenger in November were on our way. If not Congress *( which makes the laws, not the President) will just ignore any State initiatives. Vote O’Rourke
One question….Will it be Legal? If 502 passes
Being 56 it really would be nice to see a all out war against cannabis prohibition in Texas. Every one has to come to gather and fight for our rights.
If weed passes in Washington,Colorado or Oregon, it will be legal as long as you don’t get caught with it ?
In want to put my money where my mouth is, and support people who don’t think marijuana smoking should be criminal. I have thought about putting a sign in my yard here in Tennessee in November and moving to the First State to Legalize, but that’s not so easy. Probably, I will just change my summer vacation plans and go where the law reflects common sense about marijuana. I am not a high-roller, but Honey and I will spend a couple or three thousand dollars on summer vacation in good times. So, Seattle here we come. We’ll spend money at restaurants, shops, grocery stores, fairly liberally on vacation like everyone else. I think the First State will be in for a huge boost in clean tourism, from people like me who want to support legalization. Let it happen.
If Washington citizens pass 502 I hope they have the courage to fight the Feds. There are plenty of places in your prisons (now your are not arresting people for marijuana related activities) to put those federal law enforcement officers seeking to contradict the new state law – so do it !
Many millions around the world wish you well
This is a complex issue. If this initiative in washington passes, it still a federal crime to sell,and would create a dui standard, which isn’t exactly fair, as marijuana stays in the system for much longer then impairment, and makes a zero tolerance policy for minors. Also, any state tax revenue would be confiscated by the feds…which leads me to question: Does any marijuana legalization have to be made legal federally before states can legalize? Isn’t this why California failed to pass. I think more people are in support of legalization, but not at the expense of court battles…or does a legalization made by a state push the issue to the supreme court…just wondering how to vote…thanks
Halleluia, and Yippee! to being a resident of the fine State of Washington, SOON to pass I-502. Now, I don’t hold any illusions as to the fact that passing I-502 does NOT change Federal Law (THE Prohibition). BUT, if enough states pass laws and legislation legalizing pot on a state-level, then very soon Washington DC will have no choice but to take a serious look at rescheduling it, first, and eventually legalizing it. FORGE AHEAD!! WRITE your Governors, your US Senators and your US Representatives.
I live in Washington State and am pleased to have a vote on this one. I hope it passes and, if so, we take it on as a “states rights” issue. I’m a granny, but when I was growing up back east in the early 70’s, my dad smelled some weed in the house one day and said “who is smoking asthma tobacco? of course, no one admitted to anything, but dad told us that he remembered the smell, and in the 30’s and 40’s, asthma sufferers used herb to ease their breathing. I do not understand, and he (I think) did not, why it suddenly became illegal in the 1950’s. but the problem of legalizing pot in the us today goes far beyond our borders. it has to do with how our intelligence agencies operate, how they get their funds. go research.
if this I502 law passes people under the age of 21 won’t be able to use marijuana…what about all of those “under age” former medical marijuana paitents? they’ll have thier medicine taken away…this is WRONG medical marijuana HAS NO AGE RESTRICTION!!! this law is written poorly and needs to be re-written if former “underage” children have THC in their system then they’re will be consequences and this kills me to see how many people believe that this law should be passsed
[Paul Armentano responds: False. I-502 does not amend the existing medical cannabis law. Therefore, registered patients who are under age 21 will not ‘have their medicine taken away.’ They will continue to have the same legal exemption to possess and cultivate cannabis that they have now.]
It will be an interesting vote on the measures. As they say, it only takes a few bad actors to spoil it for the rest of us. Too many people I know drive while high, which really upsets me. It is no better than driving drunk, and these guys give the rest of a bad reputation. The crux of the problem is that there are about 32-38,000 deaths on the roadways EVERY year in the USA, of which over 20,000 per year involve DUII. Still over 55% are alcohol related, but there is a disappointing trend in which thousand of drivers killed in accidents every year showing little or no alcohol in their blood system, but THCs present. This is why MADD and other groups have put out alerts on the rise of DUIIs with marijuana, and we don’t need those kind of campaigns against us. That is also why the Obama administration is against its passage, which is startling. There have been projections are that with passage of the bill, that DUII-related death tolls and accident rates with will rise at a steeper rate in the Northwest, and that is something I would like marijuana smokers to prove wrong.
Sorry if this was answered before but how does the proposed DUI law effect the medical cannabis patients ? Will they be excluded ?
[Paul Armentano responds: The proposed DUI provision would apply to all drivers, just as the state’s present DUI drugs provisions apply to all drivers.]
Paul, I am wondering about DUI not cultivation or possession.
For example, what will happen if a registered patient will test with over 5ng level of THC in his blood ?
[Paul Armentano responds: Just as is the case today, this individual would be charged with DUI drugs. The difference between the law now and then would be the state’s burden of proof.]
And this 5 ng DUI business has got to be the next absurdity to be brought to light. Study after study shows that cannabis use has little if any impairing effect on drivers, actually makes drivers safer as they tend to slow down and keep more space between their vehicle and others. Another way to demonstrate this fact is to compare traffic safety statistics to cannabis legal status, state by state, year by year. I looked this up, and it looks like a pretty solid correlation between cannabis lenience and low traffic incidents. And that correlation follows states when cannabis was decrminalized or medicalized. If there were really a risk, you’d have seen traffic accidents skyrocket in Michigan since 2009, but that hasn’t been the case.