NEWS

Ohioans say yes to pot legalization, sharply divided on U.S. Senate race

Deirdre Shesgreen
dshesgreen@usatoday.com
Marijuana plants grow at LifeLine Labs in Cottage Grove, Minnesota.

WASHINGTON — A majority of Ohioans support legalizing of marijuana for recreational use--even if they don’t plan to light up a doobie themselves.

A poll conducted by Quinnipiac University found that 53 percent of Buckeye State voters support pot legalization for personal use, compared to 44 percent who are opposed.  But 65 percent of Ohioans said they would “definitely not” use marijuana if it were legalized, the poll found.

The poll comes as Ohio voters face a referendum, Issue 3, that would amend Ohio’s constitution to legalize marijuana. Quinnipiac didn't specifically ask voters about that measure, but instead posed a more general question about marijuana legalization.

The survey found a gender gap on the issue, with men considerably more supportive than women of marijuana legalization. There was also an age gap, with younger voters more apt to say “yes” to marijuana legalization than older voters.

“Not surprisingly support for the change is linked to age, with younger voters more likely to see personal use of pot as a good thing,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

Anne has answers: Will Ohioans be able to open a legal-marijuana business?

The Quinnipiac poll also tested the temperature of Ohio’s U.S. Senate race between Republican Sen. Rob Portman and former Gov. Ted Strickland—finding that contest too close to call.

Strickland snagged 46 percent backing, while Portman landed 43 percent support. With 1,180 voters participating, the poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points. Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld, who faces Strickland in the Democratic primary, lagged far behind his two rivals in support.

Brown said that Portman’s job approval rating—with 50 percent of voters giving him strong marks—would normally signal that he’s a “safe bet” for win re-election.

“But a second term is far from a sure thing,” he said, giving Strickland’s slight edge in the poll.