JUNE 10, 2015
New poll shows majority of Arizonans support ending marijuana prohibition
Behavior Research Center’s latest Rocky Mountain Poll finds 53 percent support making marijuana legal for adults; just 39 percent are opposed
PHOENIX – An independent poll released Wednesday shows a majority of Arizona residents support ending marijuana prohibition.
The Behavior Research Center’s latest Rocky Mountain Poll found 53 percent of Arizonans support making possession of a small amount of marijuana legal for personal use. Just 39 percent are opposed. Support outpaced opposition in all three of the geographical areas that were surveyed: 53-38 in Maricopa County; 47-43 in Pima County; and 58-38 in Rural Arizona. The survey of 701 Arizonans was conducted from April 29-May 15 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percent.
“Arizonans are fed up with the failed policy of marijuana prohibition,” said J.P. Holyoak, chairman of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, which is supporting a statewide ballot initiative to end marijuana prohibition in Arizona and replace it with a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol. “They do not think adults should be punished just for consuming a substance that is objectively less harmful than alcohol. It’s time for a more sensible approach, and that’s what our initiative proposes.”
The campaign has collected more than 15,000 signatures since launching its petition drive three weeks ago. It must gather more than 150,000 valid signatures of registered Arizona voters to qualify the initiative for the November 2016 ballot.
“The poll reflects what we’re finding out on the street while collecting signatures,” Holyoak said. “We’re finding that most voters agree it’s time for a more sensible marijuana policy in Arizona. Even those folks who are still on the fence seem to agree that our current prohibition laws aren’t working.”
The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol is supporting a statewide ballot initiative to end marijuana prohibition in Arizona and replace it with a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol. For more information, visit http://www.RegulateMarijuanaInArizona.org.
