Colorado passed a historic marijuana legalization initiative during the 2012 Election. I was at an election party in Oregon watching the voting results come out of Colorado with Jay Smoker, and I vividly remember when Colorado was declared a winner giving out many hugs and high fives to the marijuana activists that were also in attendance. It was an event that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I also remember almost instantly marijuana opponents were touting it as ‘the beginning of the end’ and that Colorado voters would soon regret their decision. Zoom forward almost two years later, and it appears that, once again, marijuana opponents were wrong. Per Marist Poll:
A majority of Colorado residents, 55%, is for Colorado’s new marijuana law which allows the legalization of small amounts of the drug purchased from regulated businesses. Among these Coloradans, 27% actively support the law, and 28% favor the legislation but do not actively do so. In contrast, 41% oppose the law. This includes 8% who are actively trying to overturn the legislation.
I have yet to see a poll where Colorado residents have regretted their decision, as marijuana opponents predicted. This new poll is one of a handful that I have seen that all show Colorado residents are perfectly fine with their decision to legalize marijuana in 2012. Sadly, I know it will not stop opponents from pretending like that’s not the case. Opponents like Kevin Sabet will cling to any argument they have against marijuana, even if it’s not based in fact.
This poll should be spread far and wide, especially in states like Oregon and Alaska where voters will be asked to legalize marijuana during the 2014 Election. Washington D.C. is also voting on marijuana legalization this year, and I hope they all follow in Colorado and Washington’s footsteps. 2016 is going to arguably be the biggest year in marijuana policy history, and I’d love to see what Colorado residents think at that time about their decision to legalize marijuana in 2012. I’d imagine the results of a poll taken at that time won’t be that much different from what the results are now, and if it changes at all, support will likely be even higher.
