| Graphic: SF Appeal |
| Prop 19 is ahead by 16 points! Is it November yet? |
Pothead Power, people. California’s Proposition 19, which would legalize, tax and regulate marijuana for adults 21 and older, is currently leading by a wide margin among state voters, according to a new poll. The measure is supported by 52 percent of voters, and opposed by only 36 percent.
The new PPP poll (PDF) shows the largest margin of support yet seen from recent polling on Prop 19, reports policy analyst Jon Walker at FireDogLake.
Interestingly, the poll found Prop 19 support among African Americans to be very high, possibly influenced by the California NAACP’s recent endorsement of the legalization measure.
African Americans are the strongest supporters of Prop 19, with 68 percent in favor and 32 percent against, followed by whites who support it 53 percent to 37 percent.
| Photo: Democracy Now |
| Jon Walker, FireDogLake: “It would seem there is a problem accurately gauging support for Prop 19 among the African American community” |
Black support is seen as critical in getting Prop 19 passed in what could be a race down to the wire.
Both this PPP poll and a SurveyUSA poll from earlier this month directly contradict a Field Poll (PDF) which had African Americans markedly less supportive of Prop 19 than whites in California.
“It would seem that there is a problem accurately gauging support for Prop 19 among the African American community,” Walker said. “This might be due to the taboo nature of this specific policy issue resulting from the government spending huge amounts of money on anti-marijuana propaganda for decades.”
According to many observers of the scene, it’s likely that African Americans — and other ethnic groups, as well — are just not comfortable telling pollsters, or anyone else in a position of authority, their actual position on legalizing cannabis.
