An Emerson College poll of the six New York State Senate Districts of Long Island found that 64.6 percent of constituents of Senators Monica Martinez, James Gaughran, Kevin Thomas, Anna Kaplan, John Brooks, and Todd Kaminsky support polices other than marijuana commercialization when presented with the full spectrum of options.
All told, only 35% of voters in these districts support the legalization and commercialization of the drug.
“It is clear: Long Islanders oppose marijuana legalization” said Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana New York (SAM New York) and a former senior drug policy advisor to the Obama Administration. “The senators from Long Island must put the interests and wishes of their constituents over the demands of Big Marijuana and its lobbyists and PR professionals.”
According to the poll, conducted over the last week in NYS Senate Districts 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, the majority of voters support either marijuana decriminalization, legalization for medical purposes only, or keeping the drug illegal.
66 percent of Republican voters, 60 percent of Democratic voters, and 68 percent of Independent voters wish to see a policy other than commercialization in New York State.
Alternatively, only 39 percent of Democratic voters, 33 percent of Republican voters, and 31 percent of Independent voters preferred legalization and commercialization.
A Senate district breakdown of the poll can be viewed here.