Poll: New Yorkers Are High On Legalizing Medical Marijuana
Seventy-one percent of New Yorkers support making medical marijuana legal in the state, while voters have fizzled on a plan to tax soda and sugary drinks, a Quinnipiac Poll today found.
Fourteen states have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes, but while the measure has passed in the New York Assembly, it has not passed in the state Senate.
The proposal is supported in New York across political, racial and regional groups, Quinnipiac reported. Fifty-five percent of Republicans support it, compared to 78 percent of Democrats.
“It hasn’t attracted a lot of attention, but New York state voters would like to emulate their New Jersey neighbors and approve medical use of marijuana,” said Quinnipiac pollster Maurice Carroll.
New Yorkers opposed 57 percent to 40 percent the so-called “obesity tax” proposal by Gov. David Paterson to add a tax on sugary beverages. A year ago, Quinnipiac found that 64 percent of voters were opposed to the idea, and Paterson ultimately dropped the idea.
New York City voters oppose the measure by a slim 50 percent to 47 percent, but opposition is stronger among suburban and upstate voters. Sixty-two percent of upstate voters opposed the idea.
While 81 percent of New Yorkers agree the state’s budget problems are “very serious,” only 9 percent of voters say the state Legislature has the courage to deal with the problem.
Voters support term limits for statewide offices, which has been proposed by Paterson, 77 percent to 18 percent. Fifty-eight percent of New Yorkers support cutting services to balance the state budget, but 78 percent do not want school aid cut.
Seventy-five percent support a wage freeze for state workers.
Forty-seven percent of voters support Democrats holding the majority in the state Senate, while in upstate voters are split over who should run the chamber. Democrats hold a slim 32-30 seat majority heading into this year’s elections.
From Jan. 27 through Feb. 1, Quinnipiac University surveyed 2,182 New York voters. The poll had a margin of error of 2.1 percentage points.
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In 1993 I was diagnosed with the most advanced case of thyroid cancer ever seen in a living patient at Oregon Health Sciences University. They gave me a 50% chance of surviving 6 months and offered me experimental treatment. For over 7 years I saw Teams of Department Heads and their teams of Specialists every month. I was taking 25-35 pills a day to cope with the symptoms of cancer and radiation poisoning. I weighed 92 pounds. I saw my doctor every month and still wound up fighting for my life in the ER 10 times a year.
And then in 1999 I joined the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program. Within 6 months I was off of all pills except 2 hormone replacements. In the 10 years since I have been on the program, I have only had to go to ER 1 time, for food poisoning.I only saw my doctor 1 time this year: to renew my OMMP card. My weight is up to 126 pounds – a body mass increase of 30%! Over all, I have reduced my Healthcare costs by at least 85%.
I saw the poll with 75% for medical cannabis. I see elected representatives that running from medical cannabis as if it were pure evil. Apparently, the 30’s reefer madness mentality still lives.
Who really runs the government, the citizens or the people holding office? What happened to scientific documentation on medical policies? Why do we allow the political class to determine our health options?
Gro4me: Thanks for the comment! Keep it up!
Medical Marijuana has a better chance of working in NYS if physicians were required to obtain education in pain care. Unfortunately since NYS doesnt require education in pain care it is likely too many New Yorkers will not receive the benefit of medical marijuana even if the bill passes as lack of education in pain management is often listed as a barrier to using opioids for pain relief. And so physicians will be hesitant to use medical marijuana or guide patients if it fails to work or leads to adverse side effects. Unfortunately though the NYS Assembly has supported A 5287 which would require education in pain care the NYS Senate is opposed to requiring physicians to obtain education in pain care.
There’s no doubt about it, the Volcano is the cadillac vaporizer. I swear it’s amazing. There’s plenty of cheaper options, but you’re not going find that level of quality in any of the competitors. I had a Vapir, I had a Vapor Bros setup, nether compared. You get what you pay for. And at $500-600 for a Volcano Vaporizer, you’re definitely “paying” for it. As far as “healthier” consumption of marijuana is concerned, it’s been proven over and over that the vaporizing is the way to go…