Rising Support for Pot Legalization, Falling Support for Medical Marijuana?

Complicating the narrative of rising public support for marijuana reform, two initiatives that would have permitted medical use of the drug, a policy that consistently draws more approval in polls than full legalization, were defeated yesterday. South Dakota's Measure 13 received support from only 37 percent of voters—11 points lower than the share who voted for medical marijuana in 2006. Even more striking, Arizonans narrowly rejected Proposition 203, which lost by about one percentage point. The result is surprising because Arizona voters approved medical marijuana initiatives in 1996 and 1998. (The first measure was overturned by the state legislature, while the second never took effect because of a fatal drafting error.) Is it possible that the publicity generated by California's marijuana legalization initiative, which included coverage of widespread medical use in that state, worked against these measures?

I noted the Arizona and South Dakota initiatives last month.

Comments

[wayne]

If CA put a proposition on the ballot in 2012 to end medical marijuana use in the state, I would vote in favor.

I can not describe the level of selfishness and stupity that I witnessed by the MMJ crowd in their arguments angainst P19 on a web site that I have posted here several times.

[ola]

agreed, i have a business owner mmj card holder friend who voted no on 19 because he said the labor laws in cali are such that he could not fire an employee who was high on the job because he wouldn't be able to prove it. right after he told me this he inhaled a biggy from his one hitter,

[Zeb]

I think that the problem there is that an employer can't fire an employee for any reason he wants to.

[jasno]

I would agree, but that would help the dealers and illicit distribution networks who were also against 19.

[ola]

"Is it possible that the publicity generated by California's marijuana legalization initiative, which included coverage of widespread medical use in that state, worked against these measures?"

Maybe, but more likely because of the republican tsunami at the local, state and federal level. c'mon jacob you can't think that the republican (tea party) voters who champion individual freedom would vote for mj issues that would result in more individual freedon.

[Jane]

Freedom is drug free.

[Mike]

Right on. Straight edge is the only way to go, those that use alcohol, smoke or drugs need to be beaten senseless until they are straight. xXx

[Ken Shultz]

"Is it possible that the publicity generated by California's marijuana legalization initiative, which included coverage of widespread medical use in that state, worked against these measures?"

I think there's definitely a dynamic like that going on here.

Just like the Tea Party's popularity in Red States makes swing voters in California equate liking the Tea Party with picking your nose in public, so California liking something makes swing 'zoners disgusted by it.

...especially after things like the City of San Francisco canceling and prohibiting all city travel to or through Arizona because of their immigration law? After SF G-nats fans staged in game protests against Arizona's anti-immigrant law by turning their backs on the Diamondbacks?

We used to call it the "Culture War", but things are more personal now. Politics is an extension of Reality TV, teh Facebooks and Dr. Spock taken to his logical extreme. It isn't about being a part of a herd so much anymore.

It's like American Idol. People vote for the things they do for aesthetic reasons, but that's mostly about liking things that massage their egos. And hating things that challenge their egos. The Audio Bullys had it right. It's an Ego War.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyeJJati89s

California aesthetically offends certain people's egos. ...that's what makes them talk like Billy Gibbons in "La Grange". I suspect it's what makes some gay people talk with a lisp too. It goes back and forth. I think marijuana legalization is about that too.

It's an Ego War.

[yup]

Like Billy Gibbons in "La Grange?" I love the reference. But who talks like that?

[Ken Shultz]

George W. Bush talked like that almost every time he spoke directly to the voters!

You think he learned to talk like that hangin' around the house?! His mom and dad didn't talk like he did.

You think he learned to talk like that at Yale?

It was an affected accent. It was calculated! I stake out no position whatsoever on whether being gay is genetic, but I've known gay people who speak with a bit of a lisp, and that's an affected accent too, isn't it?

People use their style of speech to project signals about themselves.

Hippies and rednecks used to make each other angry because of their choice of hairstyle--projecting signals. Marijuana legalization has become a proxy for that culture war too--it's all about aesthetics now.

People voted against Gay Marriage to stick it to those who offended their egos. People voted for Gay Marriage to stick to those who offended their egos too.

[Hacha Cha]

Oregon's Measure 74, which would have legalized medical marijuana dispensaries, also failed to pass. However, there were some victories on the local level:
Berkeley, CA Measure S, Tax on Medical and Recreational Marijuana
Text: Shall a tax be authorized on medical cannabis businesses not exceeding $25 per $1000 of gross receipts phased in over two years; on nonprofit medical cannabis businesses not exceeding $25.00 per square foot for the first 3000 square feet and $10 per foot thereafter; and on non-medical cannabis businesses of $100 per $1000 gross receipts; and shall the City's appropriations limit be increased to permit expenditure of these tax proceeds?
X Yes 82.36% 22,455
No 17.64% 4,810
Precincts Reporting: 100%

Berkeley, CA Measure T, Amendments to Medical Cannabis Regulations
Text: Shall the Berkeley Municipal Code be amended to: allow residential medical cannabis collectives, with up to 200 square feet of cultivation; allow six locations in the Manufacturing District for cultivation; allow a fourth dispensary; require dispensaries to be at least 600' from public and private schools and other dispensaries; permit new and relocated dispensaries only in C districts; change the makeup of the Medical Cannabis Commission; and permit the Council to adopt other amendments?
X Yes 64.39% 17,271
No 35.61% 9,550
Precincts Reporting: 100%

Oakland, CA Measure V, Tax on Medical and Recreational Cannabis
Text: Shall the Oakland Municipal Code be amended to increase the business tax rate for "Medical Cannabis Businesses" from $18 per $1,000 of gross receipts to $50 per $1,000 of gross receipts, and creating a new "Non-Medical Cannabis Business Tax" of $100 per $1,000 of gross receipts, with all proceeds placed in the City's General Fund to be used for any governmental purpose?
X Yes 69.81% 49,905
No 30.19% 21,578
Precincts Reporting: 100%

La Puente, CA Measure M, Marijuana Business License Tax
Text: Shall an ordinance be adopted to require a Cannabis Business to pay an annual business license tax in the amount of 10% per $1,000 of gross receipts to provide for general municipal services, such as law enforcement and fire services, animal control, code enforcement, building inspection, plan checks, planning and public works?
X Yes 67.87% 3,450
No 32.13% 1,633

La Puente, CA Measure N, Medical Marijuana Business License Tax
Text: Shall an ordinance be adopted to require Medical Marijuana Cooperatives operating in La Puente to pay an annual business license tax of 10% per $1,000 of gross receipts, or $100 per square footage on premises, if such Medical Marijuana Cooperative is exempted under California Constitution from local taxes measured by gross receipts to provide for general municipal services, including but not limited to law enforcement?
X Yes 68.48% 3,567
No 31.52% 1,642
Precincts Reporting: 100%

Long Beach, CA Measure B, Tax On Recreational Marijuana
Text: To protect public safety services such as 911 emergency response, police and fire, as well as essential quality of life programs like parks, libraries, public works and infrastructure, should the City of Long Beach impose a 15% tax on recreational marijuana businesses if legalized, with a $25 tax on cultivation sites per square foot, with an annual CPI adjustment?
X Yes 72.32% 57,886
No 27.68% 22,161
Precincts Reporting: 100%

Morro Bay, CA Measure B, Ban On Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
X No 54.63% 2,206
Yes 45.37% 1,832
Precincts Reporting: 100%

[Robert]

Were you being ironic about the authoriz'n or increases in taxes being victories? It's not like they authorized the businesses themselves, just taxes, or increased taxes, on them should they exist.

[Colin]

I wouldn't read too much into last night's results. A lot of older, more conservative people voted, across the country.

Time is on our side.

[Ken Shultz]

I think a lot more conservative people voted though.

The Tea Party is essentially a conservative movement; I wish they were libertarians, but they aren't.

[Jonathan]

Remember WA state even voted NOT to end their state liquor store system, despite even liberal newspapers like the Seattle Times recommending it so no real reason to control being an Alcohol Control State and only 8-9 states still doing this hardcore control where hard liquor is only available at state stores. 'Sin' products for whatever reason lost this election.

[Robert]

I don't see why you consider state stores to be "hardcore control". It controls only who's in the business, not who's a customer.

[nfl jerseys]

today

[Dan Riffle]

FYI, the AZ measure could still pass. Arizona voters can vote by mail, or just drop their "mail in" ballots off at the polls on election day. Almost 300,000 voters did so, and those votes have yet to be counted. It will be a few days until we know for sure.