It shouldn't be illegal to possess a little marijuana, according to more than half of Arizona's residents.
This Behavior Research Center poll, released today, shows that 56 percent of the Arizonans surveyed are in favor of "legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use," with majority support from both genders and all age groups.
See also:
-Poll: Most Arizona Voters Support Medical Marijuana
The only lack of support for marijuana legalization -- aside from people grouped into the "other" races category -- comes from self-proclaimed Republicans and conservatives.
People saying they were Republican said no to legalization by a 41-56 margin, and people saying they were conservative said no by a 35-58 margin.
Just about everyone else supports legalization, according to the poll, including men (62 percent), women (50 percent), people under 35 (58 percent), between 35 and 53 (59 percent), 54 or older (51 percent), Democrats (61 percent), Independents (72 percent), Maricopa County (54 percent), Pima County (60 percent), rural counties (58 percent), liberals (75 percent), and moderates (67 percent).
The same poll also found some pretty positive feedback for same-sex marriage -- 55 percent are in favor, and 35 percent oppose it.
"It is perhaps ironic that as support for same-sex marriage and defelonization of marijuana have long been albatrosses which conservative candidates could hang around the necks of some of their moderate or liberal challengers," the pollsters say in the release. "[I]t now appears that hard opposition to gay marriage and perhaps even to marijuana liberalization could become issues moderates and liberals can use against their conservative opponents."
See the poll results here.
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