Politics
New York Voters Strongly Support Legalizing Marijuana, Poll Shows
If it were up to voters, marijuana would be legal in New York.
In a new poll released Thursday, 63 percent in the state back ending cannabis prohibition, compared to just 32 percent who want to continue marijuana’s criminal status.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), for now, continues to oppose legalization but is showing signs of shifting his position on the issue amidst a primary challenge from actress Cynthia Nixon, who is making the issue a centerpiece of her campaign.
In the new survey, conducted by Quinnipiac University, 71 percent of Democrats are on board with legalization.
When asked whether “someone who is black and uses marijuana is more likely to be arrested than someone who is white and uses marijuana,” 82 percent of Democrats agreed, while only 28 percent of Republicans acknowledged well-documented racial disparities in cannabis arrests.
While not yet endorsing legalization, Cuomo has ordered the state Department of Health to conduct a study on its effects in other states that have ended prohibition and its possible impact in New York.
Last week, a separate Quinnipiac poll found that 63 percent of U.S. voters support legalizing marijuana.
Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
