Pubdate: Wed, 12 Feb 2014
Source: Washington Times (DC)
Copyright: 2014 The Washington Times, LLC.
Contact:  http://www.washingtontimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/492
Author: Jennifer Harper

MARIJUANA REMORSE: LEGALIZE AT YOUR OWN RISK

Hey man, like it's a bummer: There's unintended collateral damage when
marijuana is legalized for recreational use.

Legalization is "bad for the state's wholesome image" according to a
majority of registered Colorado voters. So says a new Quinnipiac
University poll, which finds that 51 percent of the respondents agreed
with the idea. Oh, but here's a partisan divide. Almost three fourths
of the Republicans - 73 percent - felt the image had been sullied.

But 57 percent of Democrats say legalization is actually good for the
state's image.

It's the same story in the under-30 crowd versus geezers: 57 percent
of voters under 30 say it's good, compared to 67 percent of those over
65 who say it's bad. Consider that some of those may actually be aged
hippies. But no matter.

"Slightly more than half of Coloradans say they've smoked marijuana at
some time in their life, but only 10 percent admit to taking a legal
toke since Jan. 1," says Tim Malloy, assistant director of the
Quinnipiac Polling Institute.

He adds that only 17 percent of Colorado voters say they would try
marijuana brownies if someone brought them to a get-together, while 64
percent of voters say they would be "very uncomfortable" riding in a
car with a driver who has smoked or consumed moderate amounts of marijuana.

The survey of 1,139 registered Colorado voters was conducted Jan.
29-Feb. 2. Incidentally, the poll found that overall, 58 percent of
the voters actually approved of legalization. It's the particulars
that make them a little nervous.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D