Majority of Michigan Voters Support Legalizing, Taxing Pot: Poll

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LANSING, MI – Michiganders are poised to vote for a toke.

That’s according to a new EPIC-MRA poll released Monday that showed that 53 percent of likely November voters support legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana.

Support for marijuana legalization is even higher among regular voters in presidential elections, pollster Bernie Porn of EPIC-MRA said.

“Voters who participated in one of the past two general elections (mostly presidential election voters), would vote ‘yes’ by 71 percent, which means that as the November election nears and more presidential election voters become engaged, support for marijuana legalization would likely increase,” Porn said in a news release.

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“Younger voters age 18-34 were most supportive among age groups (75 percent), while voters age 65 and over were most opposed (63 percent),” he said.

The release of the poll, commissioned by Michigan NORML — the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws — comes as a handful of groups are working to gather the necessary 253,000 signatures to put measures before voters.

Additionally, Michigan legislators are considering multiple proposals to decriminalize or legalize cannabis use by adults.

The EPIC-MRA poll showed that public support for marijuana legalization has increased 3 percent since the last time likely voters were surveyed.

“A solid majority of Michiganders (with even greater support nationwide) now support the legalization of marijuana,” Abel said.

He’s also on the board of MILEGALIZE — the Michigan Comprehensive Cannabis Law Reform Committee — one of three groups currently circulating petitions to put recreational marijuana legalization before voters on the Nov. 8 general election ballot. Other efforts are under way by the Michigan Cannabis Coalition and the Michigan Responsibility Council.

All income brackets seem to support making pot legal, according to the March 28 EPIC-MRA poll:

• Household Incomes Under $25,000: 57 percent
• Household Income $25,000-$50,000: 55 percent
• Household Income $50,000-$75,000: 58 percent
• Household Income $75,000-$100,000: 55 percent
• Household Income more than $100,000: 55 percent

Brad Forrester, a Michigan NORML chapter board member, said the poll results are “a clear reflection of evolving attitudes toward cannabis in Michigan.”

In a December 2014 EPIC-MRA poll, a slim 50 percent majority said they would vote in favor of a ballot question with similar wording, and 46 percent opposed it.

A September 2013 survey conducted for Michigan NORML showed only 47 percent of likely voters would favor a proposal to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol, Porn said in the news release.

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Only 26 percent said they preferred to “continue our present system of state criminal penalties for marijuana offenses,” and another 16 percent said they wanted to “replace criminal penalties for marijuana offenses with a fine,” and 4% who say “repeal all state criminal penalties for marijuana offenses,” he said.

The statewide poll of 600 likely voters was conducted March 19-22 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

The survey question was a simplified version of a proposed ballot measure that could be placed before voters in November that would allow Michiganders 21 years or older to grow, possess and sell small amounts of non-medical marijuana taxable at a rate of up to 10 percent to support education, road repairs and local governments.

The poll question read as follows:

“If there are enough valid petition signatures collected in the coming months, a proposal to legalize and tax marijuana in Michigan will be placed on the November election ballot. If approved by voters, the proposal would allow for the cultivation, possession and sale of marijuana to adults age 21 and over. It would impose an excise tax of up to 10 percent on the sale of non-medical marijuana, with the funding provided earmarked for education, improvements to roads and bridges, and to supplement the budgets of local governments if they license the sale of marijuana in their community. The proposal would provide regulations to protect the public, give local governments the authority to decide if they want to allow the sale of marijuana in their community, and to draft zoning and licensing ordinances to regulate commercial activity. Finally, it would authorize statewide cultivation and processing of industrial hemp.

“Based on this description and what you know or have heard or read about this proposal, if the election were held today, would you vote Yes in favor of the proposal, or No, to reject it?”

» Photo by Chuck Grimmett via Flickr / Creative Commons