New Poll Shows Pa. Voters Inching Toward Support For Same-Sex Marriage, Medical Marijuana
By John Ostapkovich
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A new Quinnipiac University poll shows that Pennsylvanians support same-sex marriage and medical marijuana, but it's a near miss in terms of recreational marijuana.
In all three cases, there's the big number, often with underlying divisions along age, party, and gender lines.
The issue of legalizing marijuana for medical use got the strongest and widest support, approved 87-to-14 percent in aggregate. Even the lowest sub-group was 78 percent "yes."
Legalizing marijuana for recreational use fared much lower, getting a 49 percent "no" (vs. 48 percent "yes"), but young voters favor it by about 2/3. Folks over 65 are against it, also by about 2/3.
The poll director at Quinnipiac University says Pennsylvanians are clearly joining the national trend to tolerate marijuana for both uses.
Support for same-sex marriage gets an approval rating in Pennsylvania of 57 percent (vs. 37 percent "no"), but young people, Democrats, and women support it more than older people, Republicans, and men. Some demographic groups, such as those over age 65, reject it by a margin of 48 percent to 44 percent.
The responses come from about 1,400 registered Pennsylvania voters and have a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percent.
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