Sixty-five percent of voters in the District of Columbia said in a recent poll that they are likely to vote in favor of legalizing marijuana during the city's Nov. 4 election, the Washington Post reported Thursday.
"As you may know, Initiative 71 is on the ballot," the question stated. "Initiative 71 would legalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use by adults 21 and older. If the election were held today, would you vote yes or no on Initiative 71?"
Of registered voters, 65 percent they would vote Yes, while 33 percent said No and 2 percent had no opinion.
This shows a rise of 2 percentage points since the Washington Post's last poll asked a similar question back in January.
The poll was conducted Sept. 14-16 via telephone among a random sample of 1,249 adult residents, and was commissioned by the NBC4/Washington Post/Marist organizations.
If Initiative 71 ballot measure passes, the District of Columbia would join Washington state and Colorado in allowing the possession, home cultivation, and the sale of paraphernalia to smoke marijuana.
"The results show an electorate unshaken - even emboldened - nine months after legal marijuana sales began in Colorado and six months after D.C. lawmakers stripped away jail time for possession, making it just a $25 offense," said the Washington Post.
The legalization of marijuana in Washington state and Colorado seems to have tipped the scales past the point of no return. As the Huffington Post reported, there are more drug reform questions on November ballots across the country than at any other point in history.
"Voter initiatives - primarily reforming or repealing marijuana laws - appear on the ballots in seven states, at least 17 municipalities and one U.S. territory," said the Huffington Post.
Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia currently permit the sale of medical marijuana, and even states like North Carolina have recently passed laws legalizing certain marijuana tinctures to treat seizures in children.
