EDIT: This article has been updated to include the University of Houston: Hobby School of Public Affairs poll.
In a recent poll, approximately 2/3 of Texans support legalizing and taxing marijuana to cover budget shortfalls of public education due to the pandemic.
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Yes, you read that correctly. Not just medical marijuana. Full legalization.
This comes after an Emerson College poll from 2019 found 38 percent of Texas voters believe the substance should be fully legalized. And that was up from an average of 24% in 2018 polled by the University of Texas and Texas Tribune.
“Considering potential revenue sources to support public education, Roughly two-thirds support three other approaches: legalizing and taxing casino gambling; legalizing and taxing marijuana; and alcoholic beverage taxes” the recent study states.
Listen to Texans who are against the plant and one could imagine that they see it as a sin. This is why we call taxes on such items a sin tax.
The study showed that “Sin taxes” lead the way as preferred revenue sources for new K-12 public school funding. Seventy-eight percent of Texans support a new tax on vaping devices and products for this purpose, and 77 percent favor a tobacco tax increase. Sixty-six percent support legalizing and taxing casino gambling, 64 percent favor an alcoholic beverage tax and as many support legal, taxed marijuana.
The numbers not only on the Democrat side of the equation went up, but also the stats went up for Republicans. In 2018 it was roughly 66% of Democrats with 39% of Republicans for full legalization. 2019 saw the numbers actually go down to 54 percent of TX Democrats and just 22 percent of Republicans supporting the concept. That changed drastically in 2020 though.
The new 2021 poll shows a very different margin of support from parties. Stating that more than half of Republicans and conservatives also support alcoholic beverage taxes and legalizing and taxing casino gambling. Half in both groups support legalizing and taxing marijuana as an additional source of funding for public schools; that rises to 66 percent of moderates, 71 percent of independents and three-quarters or more of Democrats and liberals.
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Another poll conducted by the University of Houston Hobby School Of Public Affairs showed the following:
Only one in seven Texans (14%) supports the state’s current policy governing the possession of marijuana. More than three-fifths (61%) support reforms that would either make the possession of small amounts (28%) or any amount (33%) of marijuana legal for any purpose. The remaining 25% support legalizing the possession of marijuana for medical purposes alone. More than three quarters (76%) of Democrats support the legalization of marijuana compared to 65% of Independents and 36% of Republicans.
More than three-quarters of Democrats (76%) either believe the possession of any amount of marijuana for any purpose should be legal (42%) or that the possession of small amounts should be legal (34%). Almost two-thirds of Independents (65%) also believe the possession of any amount of marijuana for any purpose should be legal (38%) or that the possession of small amounts should be legal (27%). This contrasts with only a little more than a third (36%) of Republicans who believe the possession of any amount of marijuana for any purpose should be legal (13%) or that the possession of small amounts should be legal (23%).
For years Texans in need of medical relief from the plant were faced with opposition in person and online. Opposition that told them that the majority didn’t want it and that’s why it wasn’t legal. Along with notions that it was some evil monstrosity, a gateway drug, deadly, and many other accusations. Now that the majority does support a strange twist has happened. Advocates vocalizing for Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick to support this change the law can quickly be spotted responding to their social media posts.
The replies those advocates get sometimes are the twist. Responses of “I don’t support it at all” and “We have to look out for the minority in this state that knows better. Because they aren’t stone” All of this and more, despite the reason for the changing tide is not just a shortfall of funding, but increased access to knowledge and studies performed around the world. That includes the studies performed here in the US. It appears awkward that given the access to knowledge, people still want to keep multitudes from living happier and healthier lives, based on fear of a few irresponsible people.
The people of Texas are showing in this poll that they want a responsible drug policy in their state. And that they want this responsible policy to help with budget shortfalls. Hold intoxicated drivers accountable the way the states hold DUI offenders accountable. Hold individuals that illicitly distribute to minors accountable as well.
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