Marijuana

Marijuana Goes Mainstream: For First Time, Majority In Gallup Poll Endorses Legalization

Kyle Leighton | October 18, 2011, 5:32PM

Its happened. In the mid-nineties, only a quarter of the U.S. population thought that marijuana should be legal, against a huge 73 percent majority shown in the yearly Gallup poll on legalization. Fifteen years later, there's been a sea change: 50 percent now think it should be legal, the issue's first majority in the history of the Gallup survey, with only 46 percent against it.

Gallup has tracked the issue for forty years, yet it's only really been close in the last few. In fact, only 5 years ago there was a healthy majority against legalization. But the change may have to do with shifting demographics over time. Expectedly, younger Americans are more likely to support making pot legal. "If this current trend on legalizing marijuana continues, pressure may build to bring the nation's laws into compliance with the people's wishes," Gallup wrote.

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Gary Johnson

Up In Smoke: Willie Nelson Retracts Gary Johnson Endorsement

Benjy Sarlin | May 19, 2011, 3:01PM

Country singer Willie Nelson and former Gov. Gary Johnson (R-NM)

Willie Nelson was extremely high on Gary Johnson last week, but the country singer is now withdrawing his endorsement for the pro-legalization GOP candidate, only days after announcing his support.

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Gary Johnson

Singer Willie Nelson Hooks Up Gary Johnson With Endorsement

Benjy Sarlin | May 17, 2011, 5:35PM

Country singer Willie Nelson and former Gov. Gary Johnson (R-NM)

If you're running for President on a legalization platform and can't secure country singer and proud pothead Willie Nelson's endorsement, you probably should just go home. Fortunately for Republican candidate Gary Johnson, Nelson announced his support on Tuesday.

Nelson met with Johnson after a performance in his native Texas before committing the Teapot Party, a group he founded to advocate for ending restrictions on marijuana, to backing the former New Mexico governor's campaign.

"I am truly gratified to have the endorsement of such an iconic entertainer, philanthropist, innovator and champion for individual rights as Willie Nelson," Johnson said in a press release by the group "Not only is he a superstar talent, he is a bold advocate for social change. Americans are demanding the freedom and opportunity to pursue their dreams without interference from a heavy-handed government, and Willie Nelson lends a tremendous voice to those demands."

According to the release, Johnson is the first presidential candidate to ever receive the group's backing. Nelson personally backed Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) in the 2004 and 2008 Democratic primaries.

CPAC

CPAC Throws Pro-Pot Legalization Libertarian Off Stage (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | February 11, 2011, 10:54AM

Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson (R) is one of the many coy presidential contenders speaking at CPAC this year. He hasn't said officially if he's running for president, but he showed up here with staff who are on the ground for him in Iowa and New Hampshire, as well as a slew of Gary Johnson for President signs. CPAC is generally very welcoming of Republican presidential contenders, giving them space on the dais to speak and time to make their case to the thousands gathered here.

Unless they're pot-legalization supporting libertarians like Johnson. Those, they throw off the stage.

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Proposition 19

Prop 19 Burnout: Why Did Pot Legalization Fail In California?

Marc Kilstein | November 5, 2010, 8:30AM

Attorney Omar Figueroa in a medical marijuana garden in Sonoma County, California.

On Tuesday, California residents voted down Proposition 19, the state's marijuana legalization ballot initiative, by a 54%-46% margin. A few months ago, statewide polling on the initiative found that Californians were in support of the measure significantly more than they were in opposition to it. As September survey results rolled in, however, findings began to suggest a stark shift in public opinion and the California legalization narrative was flipped on its head. In the final two months leading up to election day, opposition steadily increased in the polls while support markedly dwindled.

So what happened?

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Blazed: Mexico Burns 134 Tons Of Confiscated Marijuana]

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Marijuana

Senate Can't Pass Tax Cuts, But It Can Raise Penalties On Pot Brownies

Megan Carpentier | July 30, 2010, 1:55PM

If you thought that the Republican filibuster of the tax-cutting small business bill meant that the Senate didn't have a particularly productive day Thusday, you'd be wrong. In fact, the Senate authorized the issuance of a conservation stamp, created Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Week, gave a little money to the Patent and Trademark office and, oh yeah, doubled the penalties for making pot brownies. Yes, the same week that Congress significantly reduced the racially-charged crack-powder sentencing disparity, they also voted to create one between pot brownies and dime bags.

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CA-Prop 19

Will California Legalize Pot? So Far, the Polling's Been Hazy

Thomas Rhiel | July 28, 2010, 5:45PM

The state of California and a pot leaf.

Polling on Proposition 19 -- a California ballot initiative that would legalize marijuana -- has started to pick up. Three polls from July, including a PPP poll (PDF) released Monday, bring the total number of Prop 19 polls up to six. So, what's the verdict thus far? Will California be the first state to legalize non-medicinal weed?

At the moment, it's still anyone's guess -- the polling is enough to make anyone dazed and confused. Monday's PPP survey found voters supporting the initiative 52%-36%, and a SurveyUSA poll from two weeks ago showed support outweighing opposition by 10 points. But a Field Poll released earlier this month showed support lagging 44%-48%, while a Reuters/Ipsos poll from late June found support statistically tied with opposition, 48%-50%. What gives?

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Medical marijuana

Veterans Administration: Patients Who Use Medical Marijuana Won't Face Penalties

Megan Carpentier | July 27, 2010, 4:32PM

Tthe Under Secretary of Health at the Veterans Administration issued a little-noticed directive to VA medical facilities recently, informing facilities that patients who legally use medical marijuana may not be denied access to health services because of their outside prescription. It is the first time the VA has issued such a directive, and comes as the Administration has been quietly relaxing the Bush Administration's efforts to prosecute medical marijuana growers, dispensaries and users who qualify under state laws.

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Marijuana

Poll: Californians Oppose Legalizing Marijuana ... But Just Barely

Thomas Rhiel | July 9, 2010, 3:15PM

The state of California and a pot leaf.

This November, Californians will have their first chance in nearly 40 years to legalize marijuana. Will the initiative be a hit, or is legalization just a pipe dream?

Other states have tried and failed to legalize marijuana in recent years, but polls suggest an initiative on this November's California ballot may have a real chance of passing.

According to a Field poll (PDF) released Friday, voters in California narrowly oppose the state's Proposition 19, a ballot initiative that would legalize the cultivation and possession of marijuana for people 21 and older. Forty-eight percent of likely voters oppose Prop. 19; 44 percent support it.

A peek inside the poll's demographic breakdown reveals some interesting divides. Among voters who had heard of Proposition 19 before being surveyed, more support the measure (48 percent) than oppose it (44 percent). By large margins, Democrats, residents of San Francisco, and voters aged 18-29 back Proposition 19, while Republicans and voters 65 and older are against it.

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