56% of Americans support FULL legalization of marijuana - newest Rasmussen poll

[RainDog]

cross post from Dream smoker in the Drug Policy Forum so that more people will see this - http://www.democraticunderground.com/1170518#post5

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/22/legalize-marijuana-56-percent-rasmussen-poll_n_1537706.html

Neill Franklin, a retired Baltimore narcotics cop and the executive director of advocacy group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, sees the poll as a political weather vane pointing toward the future.

"Polling now consistently shows that more voters support legalizing and regulating marijuana than support continuing a failed prohibition approach," he said in a statement Tuesday. "Yet far too many politicians continue to act as if marijuana policy reform is some dangerous third rail they dare not touch. If the trends in public opinion continue in the direction they are going, the day is not far away when supporting a prohibition system that causes so much crime, violence and corruption is going to be seen as a serious political liability for those seeking support from younger and independent voters. Savvy forward-looking politicians are already beginning to see which way the wind is blowing."

Indeed, the Rasmussen poll is far from the first to find the majority support legalizing marijuana.

[yodermon]

1. how long before jury nullification can begin? n/t

[4th law of robotics]

2. A majority favor it. We live in a democracy. So . . .

I'm guessing though that it's more popular among younger people (who don't like to vote) and less popular among older people (who love voting as much as they hate teenagers being on their lawns).

[Ter]

7. No, we don't

We live in a Constitutional Republic where majority doesn't rule.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

16. Which is unfortunate. nt

[RainDog]

19. sadly, tho, the current law is based upon such racist and corrupt actions

it makes us look like we're a banana republic - the law is simply wrong in execution and existence. it was politically motivated, not an action that has any bearing on the actual welfare of anyone in this nation - unless you're a private prison or the alcoholic bev. industry.

[golfguru]

3. All substances should be legal, not just Marijuana

Your doctor is better qualified to prescribe whatever you need than any legislators.
Besides legalizing drugs would overnite kill organized crime & street drug peddlers who pray on youngsters. Added benefit would be 50%+ drop in burglaries and robberies.

[littlewolf]

6. and since is would be a legal product

it could be taxed ... that should get the republicans onboard

actually alot of republicans AREonboard

[golfguru]

36. Just consider how much tax payer money will be saved by

fewer cops, fewer prisons, fewer court buildings, fewer judges, fewer bailiffs,
fewer court clerks, fewer robberies, fewer burglaries, and better medical support
since a doctor would be involved in prescribing the stuff.

[Logical]

13. So all drugs? Meth? Legal to purchase? Coke? Heroin. Over the counter?

[Comrade Grumpy]

23. Yeah. Let's end drug prohibition. It has too many awful side effects.

Like the black market violence in Mexico.

The funding of political violence in Colombia, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and other places.

The corruption of our police forces.

The steady chip, chip, chipping away at the Constitution in the name of the drug war.

And the criminalization of drug users.

We could sell them over the counter, but we could also place restrictions on them as we do with alcohol and tobacco. We could even require prescriptions, so users come in regular contact with a physician or health care worker. There are a variety of schemes to regulate drug sales that don't involve guns and prisons.

[golfguru]

35. Yes, because the addicts are getting it now anyway

they just have to rob someone so they can afford it because the supply is
restricted, convoluted and crime infested. Look, cigarettes & booze are
legal and over the counter, but most people do not abuse it.

Denial is not just a river in Egypt.

[Egalitarian Thug]

4. K&R. It's coming. n/t

[Ter]

5. Yet it lost in liberal California

Go figure...

[Duncan20903]

8. Parts of California are very liberal

San Diego, the Inland Empire, the eastern half of NorCal are lousy with reactionary right wing religionist republicans. California gave us both Richard Nixon and Ronald Raygun.

[RainDog]

9. some growers opposed it

the police union opposed it, the beer industry opposed it...

but it will be on the ballot again there - and is on the ballot for 2012 in CO.

We're near the tipping point.

then things can change overnight.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

17. All we need now is Joe Biden. nt

[RainDog]

18. This would, actually, be a beautiful thing

As chairman of the International Narcotics Control Caucus, Biden wrote the laws that created the U.S. "Drug Czar", who oversees and coordinates national drug control policy.

(via his wiki page)

Because, in his position, he helped to create the Drug Propaganda Office for the Federal Govt.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House_Office_of_National_Drug_Control_Policy

It would be like Gorbachev talking about the need for reforms of the Soviet Union - and a call for openness.

Unfortunately, Biden is a victim of his own propaganda and, even when leaders in Latin America have told the Federal Govt that the Drug War has failed - well, no one in the executive branch wants to hear what these leaders are saying.

Here's what Biden had to say about mmj-

"I spent a lot of time in the hospital, fortunately I wasn't, for most of the time, in serious pain. But, you know, lying there for 59 days in an ICU unit you see people and hear people in pain. We have not devoted nearly enough science or time to deal with the pain management and chronic pain management that exists. There's got to be a better answer than marijuana. There's got to be a better answer than that."

This is just a stupid statement. Why does he have such an irrational opinion of a benign substance? He should talk to some cancer survivors and grow up.

But, yeah, it would be great if Biden would break down that wall between the Federal Govt and the rest of the nation regarding this issue.

I doubt we'll see that, however.

[Duncan20903]

27. Sorry RainDog, no California vote in 2012

They had their chance to be first and blew it.

[RainDog]

28. I didn't mean CA had a 2012 prop on the ballot

sorry if I wasn't clear. I mean to say that other propositions are being drafted - and will be on the ballot in the future.

Some people also criticized Prop 18 b/c they didn't like the way it was written.

But, state by state...this will not stop.

[marmar]

10. 75 percent of American politicians support continued drug war stupidity.

nt

[RainDog]

11. where'd you get that one from?

I think the numbers are encouraging - 74% in favor of medical marijuana, across political divides, this new total legalization poll indicates growing support...

too bad we don't get to vote on this issue in every state. I'd like to see it asked as a question on ballots.

[Logical]

12. Yet, NO STATE has come close to passing it in a real vote. This is wishful thinking! n-t

[RainDog]

14. Colorado has a chance to change this in 2012.

And, just because the 2010 CA initiative didn't pass - it's not over.

That's how social change takes place. Sometimes small steps, sometimes big steps. Something unforeseen occurs in the middle of momentum - I think about the nations in Eastern Europe that kept pushing against Soviet domination - people were making big steps within their states, but the bureaucracy and its spokespersons held sway - held power. No one in the U.S. knew the fall of the Berlin Wall was coming. It took American pols by surprise because they were unaware. Hungary had made it possible for people in Eastern Europe to leave... Hungary was one state that started the entire change in travel policy... the U.S. ignored this, btw - but people would no longer abide govt's intrusion on their individual liberties for the sake of some outworn ideology.

That's what's happening now with this issue - people want the govt. to stop wasting taxpayer money going after cannabis users. People will no longer accept the dictates of the central bureaucracy in the DEA. No one believes what they have to say about this issue. The more people learn about this issue, the more they support legalization.

Personally, when you consider the forces that are aligned against legalization - they are some of the most powerful groups in the nation. We have an entire govt. bureaucracy dedicated to propaganda to squash legalization.

In spite of that, for more than a decade, a majority has supported legal mmj - and now a majority, more than once, supports legal marijuana.

Considering that probably 30% of the American population will remain ignorant about this and many other issues - the support numbers are pretty impressive.

[Logical]

15. Thanks for the informative post. I am REALLY hoping the Colorado vote is the one that breaks....

the dam. I have never used pot once but think this law needs to pass!

If Colorado does it I think it will take off in many places.

[RainDog]

20. me too n/t

[SomethingFishy]

22. We are close.. it's already decriminalized in Denver..

possession of less than an oz by anyone over the age of 21... However getting law enforcement to actually follow the laws is kind of like trying to get the Obama administration to stop raiding medical businesses.

On November 1, 2005, Denver passed the Denver Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Initiative, by a vote of 54-46 percent. This initiative repealed municipal penalties for possession of one ounce of cannabis, but only for persons age 21 and older. However, this conflicts with state law, so police can still arrest for possession of cannabis because Colorado state and federal penalties remain in effect.[31] For more info see Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation.

On November 7, 2007, Denver passed an initiative to make cannabis the "lowest law enforcement priority". This was the third cannabis initiative sponsored by Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation.[32] However, officials seemed to disregard the "lowest law enforcement priority" law and arrests increased the following years. http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/06/denver-officials-ignore-marijuana-votes/

On November 2, 2009, in the Summit County elections, the voters of Breckenridge approved Question 2F, decriminalizing possession of 1 oz. or less of marijuana and related paraphernalia for persons 21 years of age or older. [33]
[edit]

[Comrade Grumpy]

21. It's also on the ballot in Washington this year.

And it looks likely to make the ballot in Oregon. There are also efforts underway in Michigan, Montana, and Nebraska, but those are less likely to make the ballot.

[RainDog]

32. Yes. I always think of Colorado

Thanks for the reminder!

Do you know how the issue is playing out in Washington State?

[Duncan20903]

26. In my world 53.5-46.5 is hardly a mandate from the people. n/t

n/t

[RainDog]

29. If you compare the support for legalization just over the last 5 years

the change is phenomenal.

If you compare over the last 20 years - it's astounding.

Of course, the greatest support comes for medical marijuana - because of people's concerns about young people and access to marijuana. The counter intuitive reality, however, is that legalization limits access, as Law Enforcement Against Prohibition acknowledges.

Anyway, feel free to have whatever opinion you would like - but if you look at the change in public opinion on this issue - the reality is that attitudes are changing quickly - as is also evident simply over the last year.

[RainDog]

30. did you join DU so that you could post negative opinions about this post, btw?

hopefully not.

you might want to check out the Drug Policy Forum to read up on this history of this prohibition. The War on Drugs has done more to destroy civil liberties and constitutional rights than any terrorist could hope to accomplish.

in any case - welcome to DU.

[upi402]

24. i never smoke the crap

and have no problem if people want it legal. go for it!

[StrictlyRockers]

25. Legalization is coming in our lifetimes.

It will start to happen state by state, just like with mmj. We already have 15 mmj states. More coming. NY soon, I bet.

[Ohio Joe]

31. K&R - nt

[outofstep]

33. Number is too small

Too bad it's not higher. Outlawing a plant doesnt make a whole lot of sense.

[RainDog]

34. It's getting there

This issue has to catapult entire federal propaganda machines, not to mention religious ones.

I really think this is one of those issues about which the internet has changed people's minds - information is powerful.

The information about medical marijuana, combined with studies from various nations that are available online - data about arrests and imprisonment.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think most people want to spend tax payer dollars arrested more than three quarters of a million people per year for simple possession.

There are real crimes out there that need attention.

[Uncle Joe]

37. I'm totally convinced that legalization of cannabis is the most logical, compassionate, moral, just,

economical, enlightened, environmentally friendly and sane way for society to evolve.

The war against Cannabis aka: Marijuana legalization has no redeeming value.

Thanks for the thread, Raindog.