For the first time in 44 years of polling on the issue (and no doubt a lot longer than that), a majority of Americans think that Humboldt County’s No. 1 cash crop oughta be legal, according to a national survey released today by the Pew Research Center.
Public opinion has been headed this way for a while. Even so, these results are fairly eyebrow-raising. They show a dramatic and rapid shift in attitudes about the “devil weed.” Support for legalization has jumped by 11 percentage points since 2010, the year that Californians (and HumCo voters alike) shot down Prop. 19.
Way more people (48 percent) now say they’ve tried marijuana compared to a decade ago (38 percent). Only 38 percent of people consider pot a “gateway” to harder drugs, compared to 60 percent in 1977. And fewer than one in three people think marijuana use is immoral, compared to half of folks in 2006.
And perhaps most ominous for drug war hardliners (we’re looking at you, Kamala Harris Melinda Haag) is this dank nugget:
Substantial majorities of both Republicans (67%) and Democrats (71%) also say federal enforcement of marijuana laws is not worth the cost.
This sea change in public opinion is looking more and more like an unstopable force, and it’s colliding with the immovable object of federal drug schedules. Something’s gotta give.
This article appears in HumCPR Rising.
Fight Prohibition with Jury Nullification!
When called for jury duty on a case concerning a drug violation with no overt act of violence, do not convict! If the offender is non-violent, do not send them to prison! Another person in a federal or state prison for drugs is not going to make society any better or our families any safer, in fact, it WILL do the exact opposite.
We must create what we can no longer afford to wait for: Please Vote To Acquit!
About time!
And what’s with the dig at Karmala Harris? Are you confusing her with the US Attorney?
The reference should be to Melinda Haag, US Atty for our district. She’s a BIG part of our problem.
Ack! Yes, thank you, Tall Trees. Melinda Haag is exactly who we meant.
I think the ca attorney gen kamala Harris did was related to the press release issued a few weeks back about the big cartel they brought down, spending tax payer dollars on something that apparently more Americans disagree with then support, as per this study…
I think the ca attorney gen kamala Harris did was related to the press release issued a few weeks back about the big cartel they brought down, spending tax payer dollars on something that apparently more Americans disagree with then support, as per this study…
Dig not did…
And see previous article doj raids Humboldt to read about the specifics of the operation.
Ah, if it were only that easy.