A study from Third Way, a think tank that focuses on appealing to moderates, reveals some fascinating things about what they’ve dubbed the “marijuana middle”: those who are neither completely for nor completely against legalization.
They begin by observing that the country is pretty evenly split over legalization: 50 percent support, and 47 percent oppose. But support for legalization for medical marijuana is much higher: it’s favored by 78 percent, and opposed by just 18 percent.
This trend was also reflected in questions about perceptions of marijuana users: 55 percent viewed medical users favorably, while only 36 percent viewed recreational users favorably.
They key finding came when they asked about policies that take the federal government out of the equation. From Third Way:
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67% of voters said Congress should pass a bill giving states that have legalized marijuana a safe haven from federal marijuana laws, so long as they have a strong regulatory system, and;
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When given an option of state or federal control, a clear majority of the electorate believes states should control and decide whether to legalize marijuana (60% state control compared to 34% federal government enforcement).
And, the study notes, the demographics of this middle might surprise you. Overall they skewed toward older (50+) voters, Republicans, moderates and white females.
A majority of Republicans backed medical legalization and looser federal laws, defying stereotypes:
Other interesting findings include the sorts of arguments that swayed this “marijuana middle.” Dramatic denouncements of the Drug War, for example, proved ineffectual, possibly because it suggested the legalization of other drugs like meth and cocaine.
Read the full study here.
