On Wednesday, KING5 released results of a KING5/Survey USA poll of 500 Washington adults conducted on January 13, 2009. The poll asked respondents: “State lawmakers are considering making marijuana possession legal. Do you think legalizing marijuana is a good idea? Or a bad idea?”
Fifty-six percent of respondents said legalizing marijuana was a good idea while 36 percent said it was a bad idea and another 8 percent of respondents said they weren’t sure. Sixty-four percent of men thought it was a good idea, but only 48 percent of women thought legalization of marijuana was a good idea. Support was broad and deep across all age groups from 18 to 64 years of age. Only among respondents 65 or older did support drop to 32 percent with 64 percent of the 65+ respondents saying marijuana legalization a bad idea.
The poll had a margin of error of 4.4 percent.
Sensible Washington is pleased by these kinds of numbers which indicate a strong willingness among Washingtonians to reform marijuana laws in this state. And that’s just what Sensible Washington is aiming to do with its proposed ballot initiative, filed on January 11, 2009, which would remove all criminal penalties from adult use, possession and cultivation of marijuana in the State of Washington. Another indicator of just how much attitudes around marijuana have changed in this state in recent years is that a major media outlet such as KING-TV would even spend its own money on having Survey USA conduct a poll.
The times certainly are changing. If you want to help make marijuana laws in Washington State change for good, then consider making a donation to support our efforts. You can find out how to donate right here. If you have other questions about the group or the forthcoming campaign, send us an email at sensiblewashington@gmail.com. You can also add us on Facebook.
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The comment about needing the elderly to die off to make progress rings true in many, many aspects of life. This is just a single manifestation of their ignorance holding back the progress of humanity, but there are many, many areas where the elderly are completely disconnected from the attitudes of society at large.
The median age of Fox News viewers is 65 (http://www.pensitoreview.com/2009/05/05/average-age-of-fox-news-viewer-is-65/). The damage that Fox is doing to this country through inciting hate and ignorance is going to wane as these people start dropping dead. The anti pot attitudes will wane, the homophobic attitudes will wane (not entirely, the elderly don’t have a monopoly on bigotry, but they do have more than their share), the blind support of the murderous Israeli state, all of these things will fade as young, internet-wired people with a global view of the world replace the old, intolerant, ignorant geezers.
That’s pretty much the only thing that keeps me sane as I watch an obstructionist minority party shit all over each and every person in the USA with their need to put ‘winning vs losing’ above the actual needs of the American people.
Here’s to the future!
Prohibition is useless to everyone except the drug cartels who use it as a cash cow to finance start up of other criminal industry’s. OH and the police use marijuana charges as a hammer to turn informants and county courts rake in money from fines. If weed is legalized taxed and regulated it will be much harder for kids under 21 to get then now when its wide open even generations ago when I was in junior high it was easy to buy but beer was the drug of choice as it is today. Marijuana and beer are not the same pot wont make a person feel like going out and racing or even driving a car or killing a deer if pot is taxed We might avoid the extra property and other taxes and program cuts our innovative and creative governor has in store for us
I have read the proposed initiative and it makes total sense to me, as opposed to the House Bills that are before the legislature especially HB 2401 which will turn ALL marijuana production and distribution over to the state of WA., AND will undo the legal protections for Medical Marijuana patients, PLEASE EVERYONE READ HB 2401 SEC.86 AND SEE FOR YOURSELF
ALSO there is a bill put forward by Rep Haler(R, Richland) 2434 (I think) that outright repeals our Medical MJ law.
I am 65 years old,I grow my own , am a MedMJ patient and work every day to RE-legalize Cannabis, so take heart RICK..there are a lot of us old hippies out there trying to do what is right.
It will not be legal until the “older” generation all dies off…I’m not saying that to be rude, but its true. Think about it. I’m very glad its moving this way and theres plenty of talk about legalization, but, you can’t convince a 65-70 year old man its ok.