"It's just a matter of time before it becomes legal."
Doug Schwartz
At 52 percent supporting legal possession, it's only a slight majority, but a new poll released by Quinnipiac University echoes a nationwide shift in attitudes towards marijuana. The poll also found that 90 percent of Connecticut residents support medical marijuana use.
Connecticut has legalized marijuana for medical use, and six dispensaries are expected to open this summer.
Support breaks down along age boundaries. While 80 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds olds support legal possession of small amounts of marijuana, more than half of voters over 65 do not.
Ultimately, that can be good news for supporters, said poll director Doug Schwartz. "They can probably feel good about the fact that the demographics are on their side," he said. "The fact that 18- to 29-year-olds overwhelmingly support legalizing marijuana for recreational use indicates that it's just a matter of time before it becomes legal."
That comes as no surprise to Paul Armentano, deputy director of the advocacy group National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. "What is remarkable about these latest poll numbers," he said, "is that they are not remarkable. They mimic the same sort of level of support that we see in virtually every other state in this country and nationwide."
Last October, a Gallup poll found a clear majority of Americans, 58 percent in favor of legalizing marijuana. That's never happened before, and Gallup has been asking the question since the 70s. In neighboring Rhode Island, two senators introduced a bill to make marijuana legal for adults who are 21 or over, and establish a system of regulation and taxation, similar to what's in place for alcohol. The latest QPoll also found that more than half of Connecticut voters say alcohol is more harmful to society, while 28 percent say marijuana would be more harmful. A recent poll from the Pew Research Center found the same pattern.
