Led by Democrats and young adults, most Texas voters want to legalize marijuana, UT/TT Poll finds

By Ross Ramsey, Texas Tribune


More than half of the state’s registered voters believe marijuana should be legalized in the state, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.

Overall, 53 percent of the state’s voters would legalize pot either in small amounts (30 percent) or any amounts (23 percent). Another 31 percent would legalize marijuana only for medical purposes. Only 16 percent said possession of marijuana should remain illegal under any circumstances.

That majority hides significant differences. While two-thirds of Democrats would legalize marijuana for nonmedical uses, only 39 percent of Republicans would do so.

“Texas is going to be slow, but it’s going that way,” said Daron Shaw, a government professor at the University of Texas at Austin and co-director of the poll. “In some ways the handwriting is on the wall, and it’s pretty clear. Public opposition is diminishing, and if the economic or tax arguments change, it’s hard to see what would keep pot from getting on the agenda.”

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2018/06/27/marijuana-democrats-young-adults-texas-poll/