* I’d really like to see Think Big spend some money on district-by-district polling, but here you go…

Today, Think Big Illinois released a new poll showing that marijuana legalization enjoys broad support from Illinoisans across the state. When asked whether marijuana should be legalized, taxed, and regulated just like alcohol, 60% support it, with 35% opposing. Support spans across the state – 60% in the city of Chicago, 68% in suburban Cook County, 60% in the Collar counties, and 54% Downstate.

“As discussions in Springfield continue surrounding marijuana legalization, it’s clear that Illinoisans are strongly in favor of legalization,” said Quentin Fulks, Executive Director of Think Big Illinois. “Legalization would help end the era of mass incarceration, while creating much-needed revenue for our state. Legislators should do what Illinoisans are calling for and enact this commonsense measure to make Illinois a more safe, just, and equal place for all our residents.”

* From the polling memo…

• Six out of ten voters support legalizing recreational marijuana, taxing it and regulating it (60% support vs. 35% oppose). Notably, a plurality of voters strongly supports legalizing marijuana (41% strongly support, 19% somewhat support, 7% somewhat oppose, 27% strongly oppose and 6% don’t know).

o What voters heard: Do you support or oppose legalizing recreational marijuana, taxing it, and regulating it just like alcohol? [IF SUPPORT/OPPOSE] Is that strongly or somewhat?

• Legalizing recreational marijuana enjoys broad support across the state.

o City of Chicago: 60% support vs. 33% oppose
o Cook County Suburbs outside Chicago: 68% support vs. 26% oppose
o Collar Counties: 60% support vs. 37%oppose
o Downstate: 54% support vs. 40% oppose

• Our findings are consistent with the recent independent Simon poll. Statewide, 66% of respondents favored or strongly favored legalization, while 32% opposed it, the Simon Institute poll found.

Interesting that support is stronger in the Cook County suburbs than in the city.

I take some issue with the question because the proposal on the table doesn’t regulate cannabis like alcohol. There is no three-tiered system (brewer, distributor, retailer), for example, and home grow is now imperiled.

Also, remember that it’s almost always unwise to directly compare one pollster’s results to another’s. The best practice is to average the results.

* Methodology…

Global Strategy Group conducted a statewide telephone survey between April 29, 2019 and May 1 among 802 Illinois registered voters. The survey had a margin of error of +/-3.5%. Care has been taken to ensure the geographic and demographic divisions of the population of registered voters are properly represented.