Support For Same-Sex Marriage Hits 50 Percent
Hamden, CT—(ENEWSPF)—February 24, 2014. By an 87 – 11 percent margin, Ohio voters support the use of medical marijuana, with support of 78 percent or higher from every group measured in a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
Ohio voters also support 51 – 44 percent allowing adults to legally possess small amounts of marijuana for personal use, the independent Quinnipiac University poll finds. There is a gender gap as men support personal marijuana use 59 – 37 percent, while women are opposed 51 – 44 percent. Voters 18 to 29 years old support personal marijuana use 72 – 25 percent, while voters over 65 years old are opposed 65 – 31 percent.
Marijuana is equally as dangerous as alcohol, 47 percent of voters say, while 14 percent say marijuana is more dangerous and 36 percent say less dangerous. And use of marijuana does not lead to use of other drugs, voters say 51 – 43 percent.
Still, 55 percent of Ohio voters, including 54 percent of voters under 30 years old, say they have not tried marijuana.
“Ohioans’ views of marijuana are complicated. Twice as many voters think alcohol is more dangerous than marijuana, and about half the state’s voters think the two are equally harmful,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
“Ohioans narrowly favor legalizing pot for personal use, with women opposed while men support the idea. Almost nine in 10 in both genders think marijuana should be legal for medical uses. No one should be surprised that support for legalization is strongest among younger voters.”
Colorado’s legalization of recreational marijuana is bad for the state’s image nationwide, Ohio voters say 45 – 37 percent. A total of 76 percent of Ohio voters say they would be “somewhat uncomfortable” or “very uncomfortable” riding in a car driven by someone who had smoked or consumed a moderate amount of marijuana.
Same Sex Marriage, Abortion
With significant gender, age and partisan divisions, Ohio voters support same sex marriage 50 – 44 percent. Support is 67 – 29 percent among Democrats and 53 – 41 percent among independent voters, with Republicans opposed 66 – 29 percent. Women support same sex marriage 55 – 40 percent, while men are divided with 46 percent supporting and 48 percent opposed to same sex marriage.
Voters 18 to 29 years old support same sex marriage 71 – 28 percent, while voters over 65 years old are opposed 59 – 33 percent.
“Given that younger voters support same sex marriage almost 3- 1 , it would seem to be just a matter of time,” Brown said.
Offered four choices on abortion:
19 percent of voters say abortion should be legal in all cases;
34 percent say it should be legal in most cases;
27 percent say it should be illegal in most cases;
14 percent say it should be illegal in all cases.
Ohio voters give Gov. John Kasich a negative 26 – 34 percent score for his handling of the abortion issue. Women give the governor an 18 – 37 percent negative score. Men are divided as 34 percent approve and 32 percent disapprove.
From February 12 – 17 Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,370 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percentage points.
Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Iowa, Colorado and the nation as a public service and for research.
For more information, visit http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter.
Source: http://www.quinnipiac.edu
