Nearly nine out of ten Florida voters support legalizing the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes, and a majority of Floridians support allowing adults to possess the plant for any purpose, according to the results of a statewide Quinnipiac University poll released today.
Fifty-five percent of voters support “allowing adults in Florida to legally possess small amounts of marijuana for personal use.” Only 41 percent of respondents opposed the idea.
Voters between the age of 18 and 29 (72 percent), Democrats (64 percent), and men (61 percent) were most likely to endorse legalization, while and Republicans (41 percent) and respondents over the age of 65 (36 percent) were least likely to do so.
When asked whether patients ought to be able to access cannabis for medicinal purposes, public support rose to 88 percent, including super-majority support from respondents of all age groups and political affiliations. Seventy-one percent of respondents also expressed support for the establishment of medical cannabis dispensaries in their neighborhoods.
This November, Florida voters will decide on a proposed constitutional amendment (Amendment 2) that seeks to legalize and regulate the dispensing of cannabis to authorized patients. Because the measure seeks to amend the state constitution, 60 percent of voters must decide in favor of it before it may be enacted.
The survey possesses a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points.
Put it on the ballot
[Editor’s note: Amendment 2 has already qualified for the fall 2014 ballot, is polling well and needs everyone’s support: http://www.unitedforcare.org]
Anonymous, forgot about the ballot.
Lets put _Cannabis_ and rights to it use into the constitution. This is needed, so marijuana can not be used in the future as an anti-social, fascist tool for voiding people’s rights.
You fought for and nearly died for you country? Now you have PTSD? Sounds like someone we should be helping. Not these assholes, they still go out to their way to punish the innocent even though Doctors, not the Federal Government, are in charge of Health Care. They ignore the Doctors, the Patients, the science and the Constitution just for another now fleeting chance to step on someone else’s right as a human being.
Thanks to all who made this happen! It is still a long way to legalization, but it is nice to see progress. 60% seems like a lot, but I thought that 700,000 signatures was a lot to get it on the ballot and it was exceeded. Thank god for the youth vote to hopefully begin to end the madness of prohibition. It is so hard to imagine that it takes all this to get folks some medicine.
It is beginning to look like I may get to smoke a legal bud before I die without having to leave the sunshine state……I have seen lots of support like never before in the paper and folks just talking about it, a new day is finally coming for Cannabis law reform!
Of course Floridians support legalization! If the truth were to be known, I’m pretty sure we’d find that is the case in every state; except maybe New Jersey…
Anyone from New Jersey dispute this? After all, you people elected Chris Christie…
Don’t bring this topic up with Debbie WasserMan Schultz …
her head will explode….
She is not a friend of cannabis & would rather see people suffer
shame on her, yet another awful politician with no heart.
Man! That little snowball you courageous NORML founders started rolling back in the day gains size and speed with each passing day. Thanks from us all.
Thanks, Mr. Stroup. Sincerely from all of us.
This poll not only represents the majority of Floridians, but this vote represents the tipping point for legalization for the majority of Americans.
Besides, this where the vacation and retirement homes are for more than half of Congress and the Supreme Court. I dont care what Republicans do to tamper with or gerrymander this vote, its going to pass.
Dont worry Michelle Leonhart; You can get a job checking bags at Customs!
“Of course Floridians support legalization! If the truth were to be known, I’m pretty sure we’d find that is the case in every state; except maybe New Jersey… Anyone from New Jersey dispute this? After all, you people elected Chris Christie.”
No, that is not quite right. Did Pissy win the election? Sure. But he rigged it by staging a special vote in which Cory Booker was a sure winner. Christie, I mean Pistie, said he would never pull such and underhanded ploy as wasting voter’s money on special to rig the out comes and then he goes ahead and does exactly that. Wasted 12 million dollar so people voting for Cory Booker would not be there on his election day.
It was really slick, Cory Booker wins by s landslide and so does Pistie. But very hollow landslides as that was literally the lowest voter turn in recent history.
And then there is Pistie using Sandy Aid Money to bribe various Democratic mayors and others throughout the state to flip sides and support his re-election or not get Sandy Aid.
The guy should be going to prison.
Nine out of ten voters support legalization of Cannabis for medical use. #2 should pass with ease. Now is the time to remember all those who stood in the way of getting this Amendment for voting in November on the books. I can think of a few elected people like,Debbie WasserMan Schulty,Pam Bondi,Rick Scott,Marco Rubio,who seem to believe that it is still 1937 !!And their personal views on Cannabis over shadow the needs of the sick of the state. Time to show compassion Legalize,Regulate and Tax.
@Julian – I don’t think there is much chance that anyone would hire Michelle Leonhart for any job. She is one of the most hated people in the entire world! It is outrageous that President Obama hasn’t fired her yet…
Conservatives are against legalization, science, democracy, peace, equality, freedom, human rights, consensual sex, nature and life. They want prohibition, corruption, plutocracy, torture, rape, pollution, dictatorship, racism, misogyny, elitism, domination, war, superstition and death.
Why do so many still think conservatives are good?
Some stats I saw on tv tonight: The age group most in favor is between 18-29. This age segment is actually larger than the baby boomers, but are expected to not show up come election time. The prediction is only 1 in 4 voters in this age brckwt are going to show up for the mid term elections. Please show up this fall and vote!
@Judy, yeah, I was being sarcastic. Michelle Leonhart wouldnt last three days in Customs. First person that recognizes her might slap her with their carry on luggage. We need to free all the prisoners with marijuana offenses, expunge their records and stick Leonhart in solitaire for her own safety.
Just saw the most inspiring thing on the NewsHour; Dem. Senator Booker, NJ and Rep. Senator Paul from KY working together on the bill to cut funding to the DEA in marijuana states and another to release nonviolent offenders from prison and provide them assistance to find work. Fat chance itll pass before August recess (I hope to be surprised) but hey, maybe Congress will all go down to Florida, get stoned, and figure out another way to steal our money.
I am voting for Amendment #2 How about you ?
Conservanazis want to dictate what to smoke, who to love, what to wear, who to kill, who to torture, who to jail, etc., as long as they’re not corporations.
For those bashing conservatives, you sound like you’re in 9th grade and have no understanding at all of what conservatives value. All of the conservatives I know are for medical marijuana, and all of the younger conservatives I know are in favor of full legalization. Your ignorance of the truth is not helping anyone or the movement.
Conservatives are dumb enough to think they know it all. You can deny science, but you can’t deny that conservatives are fully responsible for marijuana prohibition as well as the Drug War/Private Prison Complex. Don’t believe everything you think.