Poll: Texans Support Medical Marijuana

11/19/2004

A Scripps Howard Texas Poll finds that an overwhelming majority of Texas residents support legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, the Austin American-Statesman reported Nov. 16.

According to the telephone poll of 900 Texas adults, 75 percent favored legislation that would allow seriously ill people to use medical marijuana if their doctors approved of it. Nineteen percent opposed medical marijuana, while 6 percent had no opinion or declined to respond.

Noelle Davis, executive director of Texans for Medical Marijuana, was "pleasantly surprised" by the overwhelming response to medical marijuana.

"This goes beyond party lines," Davis said. "Everyone wants their loved ones to be comfortable when they're suffering."

In breaking down the poll's responses, medical marijuana had more support among adults ages 18 to 29 and a less-favorable response among 40- to 49-year-olds. Democrats and independents were also more supportive of a medical-marijuana bill than Republicans.

Davis said the support should help her organization attract a sponsor for a medical-marijuana bill for the January legislative session.