Polling data released today by Quinnipiac University revealed that a majority of Ohio voters support legalizing marijuana for recreational use and nearly 9 out of 10 support legalizing marijuana for medicinal use.
When asked if they supported or opposed allowing adults in Ohio to legally possess small amounts of marijuana for personal use, 51% said they would support this policy and only 44% were opposed. Support was strongest amongst voters age 18-29 (72%), Independent voters (61%), and Democrats (54%) and weakest among Republicans (33%) and voters over the age of 65 (31%).
Essentially all voters stated they supported legalizing marijuana for medicinal use. 87% said they supported allowing marijuana for medical use and just 11% were opposed. No demographic had less than 78% support.
Rob Ryan, Ohio NORML President, is not surprised by the favorable Quinnipiac poll response. In his experience speaking to various non marijuana groups, even the most conservative citizens in south west Ohio, where Mr. Ryan lives, readily agree that marijuana is not a deadly, addictive drug with no medical use as it is defined by to be in the same class as heroin by state and federal law.
You can view the full results of the poll here.
Way to go Ohio
Maybe I’ll stick around.
Ben here all my 54 years.
Love the summer, hate the cold.
Hey you statehouse,get yours mind right
And change the law, before we lose more.
Politicians have their own axes to grind, their own issues, and they’re lazy when it comes to taking on issues like cannabis that need to be changed. To do absolutely nothing about legalizing cannabis requires no work on the part of politicians whatsoever. That’s what politicians do best: nothing. Politicians are great talkers, big bullshitters, panderers and experts at fundraising and making sure a nice chunk of change is available for they to live the sweet life, La Dolce Vita.
The only way they will legalize cannabis is if they have no other choice.
“…even the most conservative citizens in south west Ohio, where Mr. Ryan lives, readily agree that marijuana is not a deadly, addictive drug with no medical use as it is defined by to be in the same class as heroin by state and federal law.”
Sounds like the people prefer science to political ideology. Welcome to the 21st century.
Here’s a strange thought. What happens if marijuana is legal, taxed and regulated in all 50 states? Will NORML be out of business? When Prohibition was repealed December 5, 1933 after the 21st Amendment, alcohol became legal, once again.
I’m sure, if the Internet existed, there would have been National Organization for the Reform of Alcohol Laws (NORAL) would have existed. But today, there is none and eventually when the existence of NORML may no longer be needed.
I guess it would be nice that you folks would no longer exist.
[Editor’s note: After cannabis is legalized NORML and its members can do any number of options:
Go from being an anti-prohibition non-profit advocacy organization to a ‘Consumers Report’ like non-profit advocacy group that represents the interests of cannabis consumers in state and federal legislatures; test and rate cannabis related products and commerce; maintain history and archive on cannabis use, culture, legislation, commerce and advocacy.
That NORML gives ‘seals of approval’ for safely grown cannabis, environmentally-friendly and child labor law-friendly paraphernalia or products that enhance personal and public safety (NORML DUID device, commercial leaf trimmer safety certification, etc…)
Similarly, NORML could become a non-profit archive for all things related to cannabis…in effect, creating and maintaining the ‘American Cannabis Museum’.
Or, the organization could morph into a trade association group representing wholesale or retail interests in the cannabis industry.
In either case, there well could be licensed ‘NORML cafes’ or ‘NORML paraphernalia’, NORML-branded cannabis products themselves, etc…as the two most recognizable and enduring brands associated with cannabis in the world are: High Times and NORML]
If marijuana is not a deadly material, then why are police still being allowed to prosecute people for owning, growing or selling it??? The law itself contains lies–how is something so broken still being enforced by people who are knowningly lying about it??? Judges watch police lie day in and out and just sit there. WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t think that once legalization happens people will throw their arms up and say “Oh, well we lost that one.” NORML will be around for a long time.
Ohio is a big farming state that would really benefit from legalization, but more importantly hemp. Let’s farm it here, sell it, tax it, bring the jobs back and put cannabis back into our food supply. It is super healthy as food, and full of nutrition.
OHIOANS!! Please take the time to write your state rep and ask for their support for HB 153 that is now in committee.
@TimFromLA
The issues surrounding cannabis will never go away and neither will the narrow-minded people of the assumed status of the ruling class. I cannot envision a day that we would be without the need of NORML. NORML will always find itself at the forefront of fundamental rights when it comes to cannabis.
@Erik/Editor
The idea of NORML monitoring a Cannabis Consumers Report and a trade association group representing wholesale or retail interests in the cannabis industry has a good sound to it. I especially like the idea of American Cannabis Museum so none of this fight could be forgotten or ever disputed. It could also serve as a library of knowledge detailing medical research, current cannabinoid findings, care and cultivation and much more. Many would donate to see these kinds of things come to pass.
I’m sure the fine people of Ohio and everywhere else would enjoy strolling into a NORML Cafe and Coffeehouse and order up a few infused products with friends and loved ones to discuss the latest news in and around the world concerning cannabis.
With good statistics being gathered in Ohio and all over the country, it won’t be long before some of these ideas become reality.
Good job Ohioans. Keep up the good fight.
There are several cottage industries in the USA that manufacture little more than hate, fear and stupidity. Many of our politicians are just simpltons trying to sell one or all of those negative mindsets. Even, “We are going to the Moon” was set in motion by following it up with “before the Soviets get there.” This leading by fear is so stupid, it is how we keep getting into wars that serve no purposes other than an a recruitment tool for al-qaedas and talibans–Our bombs are their fertilizer. They want to soak the World in Blood and we’re helping them achieve their goals with every drone strike we make.
Because fear leads to such good decision making right?–Not!!!! What are they still trying to sell us on this week? Gay people are dangerous, marijuana is dangerous, Muslims should have different (fewer) rights than other Americans because we need to fear them.
“I say no to war, you say no to war,
and we go to war again
but the truth of the matter is –
it stinks like the shit that you are.
You’ve freedom to sell, you poisoned
the well from heaven to hell and then
you wonder why you can’t fuckin think
for yourself anymore.”
Yeah, the only people that need us to hate them are the haters, the mis-leaders. Everytime they try to put a societal failure on marijuana users, we put right back on them as it is the leadership that is failing. Everytime one of the goons opens their mouth and blames marijuana for something it can’t do, dangerous properties it doesn’t have, they are admitting they don’t have the wisdom and intelligence required to hold the position they are seeking.
thx tim for asking that burning question
I have no faith in most ohio politicians and I say vote them out. John bohnner what a drunk joke Go suck on your scotch bottle, hypocrite.
Thanx 4 the bone
Mr. Altieri, what would it take to get a legalization poll in Idaho? I’m sure there is support for legalization in my state, and now with the local media attention focusing on Idaho’s huge prison population and the state take-over of the prison system from a private contractor there could not be a better time.
[Editor’s note: Please coordinate your in-state advocacy efforts in Idaho with existing NORML chapters there:
http://norml.org/chapters/id
Suggestion: Raise necessary funding to do a PPP survey in Idaho.]
This is on my local news and gets WV bill mentioned also. Let’s roll.
@ Dale Evans I agree with you totally war will get you nothing but dead body’s in the gutter, there is no honor in it. Hateful prohibitions wanted a war, now they’ve got one and they wine and cry about it.
@TimfromLA: Since others have amply answered your rather dishonest little question (NORML has many functions post-legalization, including the protection of the newly-reinstated civil rights), I will just answer this:
“I guess it would be nice that you folks would no longer exist.”
with this response:
Get bent, prohibitionist.
Seriously, you don’t even mean that, because if there were no more need for NORML it would mean you have lost entirely. Perhaps you’re hoping that after legalization inevitably arrives, we’ll hang it up so you and your prohibitionist profiteer cronies can push a recriminalizing effort without anyone fighting back.
Not. Gonna. Happen.
But most likely, it’s just a whiny passive-aggressive little snipe from one of the Drug War losers. And to that, I would like to say: HA HA HA HA HA.
The people who run our area are self-righteous and judgemental. They are from families that gave them all they have. They would never support legalization. I have no faith in Highland county Ohios current leaders. We are in southwest ohio.
Thats a great news!!
87% supporters for medical marijuana. I think people are much more concerned about the society rather than getting high.
we also deals in medical mariguana all over USA.
you can find the weed and doctor where ever you are.
for more information visit http://www.weedlynx.com/
I would guess that it would have been 10 out of 10 voters in support but where I lived I would guess 1 in ten were selling pot anyway so the figure seems legit to me.
john lennon’s “gimme some peace” says it all! i’m 60 been pushing legal for 40. lived in other countries, spent most of my life in ohio and it sucks. just a few changes would make this state a better place to be.
Ohio has spoken to the pollsters today
Our nations’ patients have needlessly suffered
Our healthcare professionals have no souls
Their caregiving corrupted by psudo-science
Their hands tied by insurance protocols
Its time to take back the decisions
Meant to be made in our best interests
As a wiseman named Dimebag Darrel of Pantera once said “FTW smoke the weed.” We the people need to get back to our roots and unify instead of being divided and conquered by the devious minions of big brother.Start anew and work to build a better world for our children.God bless all and make haste but take heed.
I live in Ohio and have smoked a long long time.the laws on weed are so full of bull!!alcohol and other drugs are the real problem.but all the problems come from government lies an political lies.we should all fight for our rights to smoke when ever we want.thanks for your time.
If we didn’t have such a fucked up country weed would have been ok from the get go it was here way b4 the other bs drugs that kill.. Y does the government even have a say its a damn plant. So if I go and pick some grass from my lawn and start smoking it what’s the difference grass and week come from the same place. Beers man made and kills and makes ppl restarted when you get drunk. You can still function high
Born a Buckeye in 1950, 3 years military service, 40+ years successful leadership career as an executive and manager, in the private sector. It is time that the “Great Lies” start unraveling. Our society wonders why each successive generation seems to have less patriotism and more distrust. Its no big mystery, our nation starts the lies to our children while they are young. By the time that curiosity with the taboo catches up to them, they have probably read more open research and data about cannabis than the past several generations combined. It is hard to continue the string of lies, when real data clearly shows that problems with cannabis consumption pale in comparison to liquor and tobacco. Additionally, medical research in the U.S. and throughout the world have debunked the very idea that “there is no medicinal use”. Someone likes burying their head in the sand if something doesn’t fit their pre-conceived notions. Unfortunately, the Founders of our nation are not studied as diligently as we should. The foundations of our freedom were to include the protection of minority views and the civil rights of all. We have the right to pursue happiness without constant scrutiny, threat of job termination, threat of property confiscation, or threat of imprisonment. It seems as though our government has carved up the rights of citizens in favor of allocating slices of our society for the benefit of various special interests. Industries with vested interests in alcohol consumption, tobacco use,pharmaceuticals, plastics, paper and timber production get protections and special treatment to ensure their continual success. Meanwhile our citizens are denied legal access to a plant that could free them from prescription opioid chemicals at a very low cost by growth of their own pain relievers, as well as many other remedies that have in use as folk medicines throughout the world for thousands of years. It is a damn shame that our government has become so entrenched with “political bickering” that focus on common sense and protection of individual rights have become of little consequence to legislators. A legislator at the state, local or national level that does not commit substantial support to the ideas that “all men are created equal” and “equal protection under the law”, should be a candidate that is sent packing at the first opportunity. Vote with patriotic fervor, not with religious judgment of others!
I support this cuz of so many reason’s. It’s not for the purpose of getting high. It helped save my life. I could never keep food down even as a baby. I lost so much weight growing up time and time again. I looked like a skeleton. I had to keep going to the hospital to get I.V. and almost died several times. I tried so many things and nothing helped me. Then I started smoking it and it helped me keep a healthy weight, keep down food, headaches and pain. There Is nothing worse thaan dieing a slow painful death from starvation. My brother has an eye disease and they say it would help him from going blinder so quickly and so he can see better.cancer patience benefits from it too like pain and nausea as well
I hate pills filled with chemicals. Weed is natural growing plant. Indians would pick plants like this to help heal them and also used for spiritual reasonings. Ect…..
I support this cuz of so many reason’s. It’s not for the purpose of getting high. It helped save my life. I could never keep food down even as a baby. I lost so much weight growing up time and time again. I looked like a skeleton. I had to keep going to the hospital to get I.V. and almost died several times. I tried so many things and nothing helped me. Then I started smoking it and it helped me keep a healthy weight, keep down food, headaches and pain. There Is nothing worse thaan dieing a slow painful death from starvation. My brother has an eye disease and they say it would help him from going blinder so quickly and so he can see better.cancer patience benefits from it too like pain and nausea as well. I am happy that so many people are finally agreeing to this issue.
I have many symptoms that it personally help with. migraines, ADHD, PTSD, Helps keep my eyes from doing crazy things like blurred vision and dots and lights etc., helps me eat more, back pain and spasms, menstrual cramping, stress, helps me sleep at night, cramping in my legs and feet mostly at night, relaxes me, helps with motivation to get my daily chores done around my home, helps me through rough stressful days, gives me energy when I have none and so much more. So I’m thinking about moving one state over to get the proper help I need IF Ohio doesn’t pass this year by December 31 2014.but I’ll still be close to my family and friends without going to far away. I cant take this Ohio backwards laws and medicines that can help so many of us bug and small young and old. but I guess they would all have to be in those shoes themselves to understand what we deal and live with. and they say were the land of the free. yeah okay let me know when. because I don’t see nor believe that one for a second. so pass it or many more of Ohioans will me moving out of this state and no return unless maybe passed. So lets get this show on the road or myself and family and many of my families and friends are moving away from here to somewhere better and more equal to our needs. sorry if this sounds harsh. but Ohio is ALWAYS last to do anything for the better of us. we get more time in jail for drugs then we do for murder or rape. so its time Ohio starts to make sense in something. and that time is NOW.