Studies Show Conservatives Less Divisive Regarding Cannabis Legalization
Democratic candidate Joe Biden, and there's a chance his victory could give marijuana companies a boost. When Americans go to the polls, they come together to support the legalization of recreational marijuana in the US. While federal legalization is on a political third track until 2016, 2021 looks like a turning point for the industry. Voting initiatives in a handful of conservative states have shown that Republicans are increasingly on board, and could pave the way for an end to the federal ban, no matter who controls Washington. Pot experts have long said that national legalization will only gain ground if Republican senators have a reason to raise the issue. The prevailing view was that the Conservative government would be less receptive, but now legalization was inevitable because of its own kinetic energy, he said.
That could happen on November 3, and more voters would support the measure, according to a recent poll by the Marijuana Policy Project, a conservative think tank. Liberal New Jersey is also considering legalizing adult use, and medical use is on the ballot in conservative Mississippi and South Dakota. All four states that vote on recreational use - Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska - are red. Democrats are still the strongest in favor, with 75 percent, but a majority of Republicans support the measure, too, with 52 percent. Before the election, 33 states had already introduced adult medical applications, so those states would merely add to an already critical mass of support. A recent Pew Research Center for the People & the Press poll shows that states are likely to vote by a 2-1 majority in favor of legalizing recreational use for adults and have Republican support, and that shows.
John Fanburg, who conducted the survey and runs a New Jersey law firm that specializes in cannabis practice, said, "People are more open than they used to be." He attributed this to the state's successful medical program, which has grown to 90,000 and removed the stigma of marijuana from thousands of people on both sides of the political aisle. A similar trend is emerging in red states, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center's Center on Religion and Public Life. In Texas, a traditionally conservative state that is considering legalization, 56 percent support the measure, up from 47 percent in 2012.
The more conservative the state, the less likely it is that an initiative will be supported by about 49% of voters, but there is enough grassroots support. It's a red country because it's ignored when you're in Washington and the issue is not relevant to party politics, "Karban said.