Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy
A slight majority of adults say the federal government should not attempt to enforce federal marijuana laws in states which have voted to legalize it, according to a new YouGov poll. Some 51% of respondents said the federal government should "exempt adults who follow state law from enforcement."
The poll comes as the Obama administration ponders how to respond to last month's passage of marijuana legalization measures Amendment 64 in Colorado and I-502 in Washington. While possession of up to an ounce by adults became legal last week in Washington and will become legal within weeks in Colorado, both states have a matter of months to come up with regulatory structures for commercial marijuana cultivation and distribution.
There has been speculation that the administration may attempt to block the regulatory and tax components on the initiatives, but this poll suggest little support for that among the public.
Fewer than one-third (30%) of respondents said the federal government should "enforce the drugs laws the same way it does in other states," while an unusually high 20% of respondents were not sure.
This is the second poll this month to find a majority saying the question of legalization should be left to the states. A CBS News poll last week had 59% of respondents saying it should be up to the states. Like the YouGuv poll, this poll had only about one-third (34%) saying it should be up to the federal government.
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Comments
Could Marijuana become Obama's Iraq?
In the political world, Republicans gripe about Democrats current policies as a "nanny state" that over-reaches, and tries to "control every aspect of our lives." They complain about Government getting too big.
So what if the administration decides to fight marijuana legalization against the will of 50% of the people.. the MAJORITY of those 50% being those who voted Obama into office...
Won't that infuriate them? Won't it cause Obama's approval rate to take a nose-dive, much like Bush's did at the end of his presidency?
To this day, the people still don't trust Republicans, because of Bush and the war in Iraq. It's cost them two elections thus far... but depending on the administrations response to Washington and Colorado, I could see the pendulum shifting back in the other direction... does Obama dare to infuriate the vast majority of the democrats voter-base!? Does he even consider that!?
It could possibly mean no democrat will be elected again for decades.. and with all the propaganda-talk about opposing the "big government, nanny state" would Repulicans dare to rally behind cannabis legalization?
Is this something that could happen?
It really only makes the difference between full-on legalization happening sooner or later, but it happens either way. Barring some kind of gigantic disaster or something, I'm pretty sure the path of history is taking us towards legalization no matter what at this point. The difference is within he next 4-6 years or within the next 15-20 years.
hey jealousy
little surprised that its only 51%, anybody else? thought it'd be higher, reflective of other polls.
I think that, if you poll the nation about this, alot of pro pot legalization people may be a little jealous of their colorado/washington cousins getting to smoke legally while they still can't, so, i think theres a reasonable number of folks who are pro legalization saying this a little bit out of jealousy. Idk if its that many, im not saying like, you know, 20, 30% maybe not even 10% but id think a few folks may've said enforce it out of jealousy.... I wouldn't be surprised. Anyone think so?
Expect more of the same.
Unless they suddenly come up with some new ideas, I think they'll just wait until the shops are opened up and thriving here in WA. Then they'll come and start committing armed robbery, like they do with the medical dispensaries. There's nothing to steal yet and no low hanging fruit to pick, so I'd be really surprised if we heard anything out of them but lies and threats until then.
In reply to Expect more of the same. by Sparky (not verified)
Excellent point about nothing to steal... yet
No doubt that's exactly what they would like to do, but I'm not so sure this time.
I get the feeling the walls are closing in on Law Enforcement's crime spree.
It ain't over yet, people are still getting shot.
Let's see what happens with rescheduling court case and CO/WA. It's not
the free ride for the prohibitionists that it once was.
Peace yall from Legal Colorado! Woo-hoo!
I get the feeling the walls are closing in on Law Enforcement's
Crime Spree". That's a great way of putting it. I just hope it doesn't stop with weed, because that's not going to work.
In reply to I get the feeling the walls are closing in on Law Enforcement's by saynotohypocrisy (not verified)
legalization
it really doesnt matter a hill of beans to the president hes already been reelected do you really think he cares of we are happy or not with what he does at this point? its of no consequence to him it only matters to us who use marijuana or have family members or freinds who use it. To the rest of the nation its not really thier concern.hey people have lives they need to watch Survivor or Opra you know more important stuff than what ever concerns a bunch of potheads. We are on our own here and since in my state they cant even get it together to get petiions signed at the local level to allow dispensaries to reopen in Sacramento I dont see any big changes happening here for the benefit of medical or recreational users.
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