In November, residents of Michigan will vote on a ballot measure as to whether or not the state should allow adult use marijuana. According to a recent poll by WDIV/Detroit News, the likely voters who participated were in favor of the measure and the majority said that they would be voting yes.
With the whole of 56.2 percent saying they will vote yes, and with the 6 percent of undecided voters — many of whom are likely to either not vote on the issue or to vote yes — make Michigan becoming a fully green state this year a very good possibility. The poll found that the only age-based voting block opposed to the measure was made up of those 65 and older.
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On the other hand, younger voters were all for legalization. Eighteen to 29 year olds answered 79.2 percent in the affirmative, leaving very little doubt that the future of cannabis is in the hands of many pro-pot individuals. As long as they run for office when they can, our country will be in marijuana legislature supportive hands.
Thirty to 39 year olds were also in high favor of legalization, with 71.6 percent in favor. Not far off from the younger block, but a gaping 14.6 percentage points away from the next age group of 40-49 year olds.
Though pot continues to show itself as a bipartisan issue in general, this poll found that democrats were more likely to vote yes than republicans. The dems clocked in at 70.3 percent in favor, while republicans approved in the minority.
If Prop 1 passes, it will mean legalized, taxed and regulated cannabis for all adults 21 and older. It will make Michigan another state to flip policies in the direction of social equality, with fewer arrests, fewer students losing school funding over a simple joint and with tax revenue to boot.
The poll affirms what many polls nationwide have been saying the past few years. As pot is normalized and its stigma lifted, more people are in favor of its legalization — the majority of people, in fact. And it turns out that financial incentive is a big winner. This era of cannabis explosion across a market that is illegal at the federal level is unprecedented, but it’s raking in the bucks and hasn’t been called the Green Rush without reason.
Will Michigan cash in and support social change simultaneously? Only the final November results will tell.
