October 10, 2015
Those who oppose legalized marijuana for recreational use in Pennsylvania slightly outnumber those who favor it, according to a poll released Thursday.
The Quinnipiac survey found that 49 percent of respondents are against it while 47 percent are for it, a seperation that is within the poll's margin of error.
That number shifts when gender is taken into account, with 52 percent of men in favor of legalizing recreational pot and 53 percent of women opposing it.
A more dramatic change is seen when it came to the age of those surveyed.
"Legalize pot? Pennsylvania voters are divided. That is unless that voter is 34 or younger where support runs 2-1," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll, in a release accompanying the survey.
Among those older than 65, 64 percent opposed it.
While recreational weed left respondents divided, medical use of the drug gets overwhelming support, with 90 percent in favor and only 9 percent against it.
Governor Tom Wolf has supported allowing medical marijuana in the state as well as decriminalizing the drug for recreational users, a measure already put in place in Philadelphia.
A bill was introduced this summer that would certain forms of non-smokeable medical marijuana in the state. The legislation passed the Senate, however, it has stalled amid conflicts over the still absent state budget.
The Quinnipiac poll had a margin of error of 3 percentage points and surveyed 1,049 self-identified registered voters.
