As Pennsylvania lawmakers consider proposals to legalize marijuana, a new poll shows that voters say they favor a model where cannabis is sold by licensed private businesses, rather than through a system of state-run stores as some legislators have promoted. Meanwhile, a new legal memo concludes that the government-run approach "is fundamentally defective and would be preempted by federal law."
The survey from Change Research, which was commissioned by the advocacy group ResponsiblePA, first reaffirmed what several polls have already found: A majority—in this case 74 percent of Pennsylvania voters—back legalizing adult-use cannabis sales in the Keystone State.
But with dueling legislative proposals over recent sessions, the survey sought to gauge voter sentiment around two regulatory frameworks for a potential recreational market. And the results showed a strong preference for the private, commercial model that has been established in other states.
The question was posed twice. There was a majority preference for the privatized option in both cases, but in the first round support for a conventional commercial market was 51 percent, compared to 25 percent who favored a state-run model, similar to how Pennsylvania approaches alcohol.
Read more at Marijuana Moment