Poll Watch: Rasmussen (R) Survey on Marijuana Legalization

Rasmussen (R) Survey on Marijuana Legalization

Would you favor or oppose legalizing marijuana and regulating it in the similar manner to the way alcohol and tobacco cigarettes are regulated today?

• Favor 56%
• Oppose 36%

Suppose that marijuana was legalized and regulated so that it was illegal for people under 18 to buy, that those who drove while under the influence of marijuana received strict penalties, and that smoking marijuana was banned in public places like restaurants. With such regulations in place, would you favor or oppose legalizing and regulating marijuana?

• Favor 57%
• Oppose 36%

Should it be a crime for people to smoke marijuana in their own home or the home of a friend?

• Yes 32%
• No 58%
• Not sure 10%

Suppose that, if marijuana was legalized and regulated, it could be sold only in pharmacies. Drug dealers who sold marijuana on the street would be subject to strict jail sentences. Would that reduce the number of drug dealers in the country?

• Yes 47%
• No 40%
• Not sure 13%

If marijuana was legalized and regulated, but could be sold only in pharmacies, would you favor or oppose legalizing and regulating marijuana?

• Favor 58%
• Oppose 32%
• Not sure 10%

If marijuana was legalized and could be sold only in pharmacies, would the number of people under 18 who smoke marijuana increase or decrease?

• Increase 28%
• Decrease 29%
• Stay about the same  32%

Some people believe that if marijuana was legalized and regulated, it would reduce gang violence and reduce income for organized crime groups. How likely is it that legalizing and regulating marijuana would reduce gang violence and reduce income for organized crime groups?

• Very likely 30%
• Somewhat likely 28%
• Not too likely 25%
• Not at all likely 11%

Survey of 1,000 likely voters was conducted May 12, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points.

Inside the numbers:

Voters younger than 40 are more supportive than their elders of legalizing the drug, and show even greater support for legalization when restrictions similar to those placed on alcohol consumption are introduced.

Men are more supportive than women of legalizing and regulating the drug.

Voters with children under 18 living at home are less supportive than those without children of legalizing and regulating marijuana.

Democrats show slightly more support than Republicans and voters not affiliated with either party for such a measure.

Male voters support legalization more than female voters do if marijuana is sold only through pharmacies, but men are also more likely to think such a change would increase use of the drug by those under 18. Most male voters also are more inclined to think sale of pot in pharmacies would lower the number of drug dealers and would likely reduce gang violence and income.

Younger voters like the idea of pharmacy-only pot sales more than their elders do but tend to think it would have no impact on marijuana use by minors.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of Democrats and 63% of voters not affiliated with either major party favor legalization of marijuana if the drug is sold only this way, but just 48% of Republicans agree. But then GOP voters are also more likely than the others to think the legal sale of marijuana through pharmacies will increase use of the drug by those under 18.

There’s little difference of opinion between those with children in the home and those without children living with them when it comes to how pharmacy sales would affect pot use by minors.

Sixty-eight percent (68%) of those who would vote for President Obama if the election was held today favor selling legal marijuana only through pharmacies. Just 50% of those who would vote now for Mitt Romney agree.