Almost 2 in 3 support marijuana legalization in Maryland: survey

Most Marylanders support legalizing marijuana, according to a new poll by the Baltimore Sun Media and the University of Baltimore, with the issue on the ballot next week.

The poll released Monday found that about 63 percent of likely voters said they backed legalizing cannabis, while 25 percent said they opposed it and 12 percent were unsure, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Maryland is among a handful of states that will vote Nov. 8 on whether to join 19 other states and Washington, D.C., in legalizing the drug by approving a constitutional amendment dubbed “Question 4.”

If Question 4 passes, Marylanders 21 and older will be able to possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis starting July 1 of next year. Marylanders will also be able to own and grow up to two marijuana plants at home as long as they are out of public view. The sale of the drug would remain a crime under the measure.  

In Maryland, the sale of medicinal marijuana has been legal since 2014.  

Support for Question 4 differed along political lines, the poll released Monday found, with 54 percent of surveyed Republicans stating they would likely approve the measure compared to 69 percent of Democrats.

Support for legalizing marijuana varied depending on location in the state, with 75 percent of voters in Baltimore City expressing support for the measure while 59 percent in Montgomery County said they would approve it, according to the Baltimore Sun.

The poll also found that 55 percent of voters living along the state’s Eastern Shore said they were in favor of the measure.

The poll of 562 Democratic, 247 Republican and 180 independent voters was conducted by phone Oct. 20-23.

The survey supports earlier polling data showing a majority of Marylanders in favor of marijuana legalization.

A recent poll conducted by The Washington Post and the University of Maryland found that nearly 3 in 4 voters in the state approved of marijuana legalization.