Poll: Half of CA voters oppose legalizing pot

Half of California voters oppose broad legalization, according to a new poll. / iStockphoto

(AP) LOS ANGELES - Legalizing marijuana is gaining traction in many places but apparently not in California, the state where the idea first took root.

Half of California voters surveyed say they oppose broad legalization, while 46 support it, according to a University of Southern California Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll released Thursday.

The survey found opinions have not measurably changed since 2010, when California voters defeated Proposition 19 that would have allowed recreational use of the drug.

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A national Gallup poll recently showed support for legalizing pot had reached an all-time high of 50 percent. Behind such momentum, marijuana advocates have succeeded in getting initiatives qualified for the upcoming November ballot in Colorado and Washington.

The USC/LA Times poll found California voters overwhelmingly support doctor-recommended use of marijuana for the severely ill, with about 80 percent in favor of medical marijuana for the terminally ill and severely disabled.

The San Francisco Bay Area was the only region in the state where a majority - 55 percent - favors legalization.

That compares with 41 percent in Southern California. Those against marijuana use were more adamant in their position, with 42 percent feeling "strongly" about it compared with 33 percent for proponents.

Twenty-eight percent of Republicans and 50 percent of Democrats polled liked the idea of marijuana legalization. Sixty-eight percent of Independents favor it.

Age also was a factor. Fifty-eight percent of those in their late teens and 20s support legal recreational use while just 28 percent of those older than 64 approve general use.

While California allows medical marijuana, it leaves the regulation of dispensaries where the drug is dispersed to local communities.

In some places, the proliferation of dispensaries has angered citizens and prompted federal authorities to shut down some.

The U.S. government does not allow legal use of medical marijuana. The poll numbers suggest Californians are concerned about implementation of the Compassionate Use Act, the medical marijuana law passed by voters in 1996, according to Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC.

"They like the idea of providing marijuana for medical use, but they're worried that the law is being abused," he said.

Dale Gieringer, coordinator of the state chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, said California needs to better regulate medical pot distribution before the public will embrace general use.

"Voters are hesitant to liberalize the marijuana laws any further until the chaos of the current system is worked out," he said.

The statewide telephone poll of 1,002 registered voters was conducted May 17-21. The margin of error is 3.5 percentage points.

[Ourdoc1]

This is another BS poll....

"Age also was a factor. Fifty-eight percent of those in their late teens and 20s support legal recreational use while just 28 percent of those older than 64 approve general use."

I guess there is no one alive in California older than 29 and younger 64 right?

That and 1000 people cannot tell you what millions think. One day you'll even admit that.

[info630]

Here's a concept....
-- Plan A (now in effect) keeps marijuana illegal, puts all the huge profits in the hands of organized and disorganized crime, and doesn't reduce the California deficit/debt ($360-billion) by generating tax income.
-- Plan B makes marijuana legal, regulated, and taxable, removes profits from criminal hands, eases burden of victimless crimes on justice system, and could wipe out the California deficit/debt by generating enormous tax income.
Are we missing something?

[DebbieCorona]

I support it and I'm in that older group. 1) This is just a replay of the Volstead Act. As older voters drop off the polls it will eventually pass. 2) It could be a piece of the economic puzzle California needs because it would reduce the prison population and prison costs are out of control. 3) It could create jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, distribution, etc. It's a dry crop and that beats paying subsidies to Big Ag to grow water thirsty rice. 4) Tax the heck out of it.

[micmac666]

Yes, it's just a matter of time. As CA is the "bread basket of the nation" and marijuana is its #1 cash crop, it's probably safe to assume that the state will be a major supplier and beneficiary. Be patient and vote intelligently.

[micmac666]

The pollsters were stoned. Heavy bummer.

[ludvig1-2009]

What I find interesting about this article is we get a look at the Independent voter. 28% of Repuglicans favor it. 50%of Democrats favor it and 68% of Independents favor it. That to me tells me that the California (at least) Independent voter is more liberal than the Democratic party. That means the California Repuglican party which currently registers at less than 30% in the state is going the way of the mammoth. Maybe that should be there symbol instead of the elephant.

[vsmit]

And the dumbocrats are responsible for the $16B deficit in California. What a bunch of morons.

[ludvig1-2009]

I'm an oldster. I do not inhale. I'm for legalization because I got hacked off at some cops years ago who wanted to search my car twice in 4 days for drugs because I had California license plates. If I can vote, I'll vote for legalization just to get back at those bums with badges that decided I must be a drug dealer because I have California license plates. Idiots. I'm still mad and when I see the Highway Patrolman in Collinsville, Illinois video pulling over the star trek conventioneer and pressuring him to open his trunk by telling him "We'll impound your vehicle" I am more determined than ever to get even with these bums who think they can spit on the Constitution. Way to Darnell Dockett for refusing to let the cops search your car. You get a hero award from me.

[JoseofTexas]

The LA Times is about as biased as CBS News. I don't trust them at all.

[14FREEK]

"The statewide telephone poll of 1,002 registered voters." There you go right there. A good portion of dopers can't vote due to previous convictions.

[Ourdoc1]

Na they just didn't want to answer an unknown caller phone number and take yet another stupid survey. Most of us with brains, don't answer those calls, thats why we have caller ID.

[14FREEK]

there would have been more people for legalization, but they could find out how to vote for it. bunch of stupid drug addicts.

[markcop]

another word for drug addict,,,, someone who likes to use alcohol.......webster's dictionary- alcohol--pure spirt of a highly intoxicating nature produced by distilling..... I hate alcohol even more then I hate pot,!!

[hypnotoad72]

41% is less than half.

Anything less than 50% is not "half of CA voters".

Most glaringly, 1002 people do not represent a state comprised of 36,000,000. And there are surely more than 2004 voters in the state of CA...

Weird headline plus miniscule numbers don't make a convincing case.