A survey released recently by the University of Montana’s online Big Sky Poll found that a majority of Montanans support the legalization of marijuana in the state.

Chair of the UM Department of Public Administration, Sara Rinfret said the results were definitive.

“Overall, 50 percent said yes, 37 percent said no and 12 percent said they didn’t know,” said Rinfret. “More women than men are in favor, that’s about 52 percent over 48 percent of men. When you look at urban and rural, urban being the major cities versus the rural areas of the state, slightly more folks in urban areas, that’s 51 percent versus rural which is 49 percent. We also broke it down by parties, that’s Democrat, Republican and Independent. About 78 percent of Democrats were in favor, 32 percent of Republicans and 45 percent of Independents.”

Rinfret said the results were also quantified by age.

“18 to 26 year-olds were most in favor at 67 percent, while the least amount were those 67 and older, where only 29 percent were in favor,” she said. “When it comes to education, those with the most education were also most in favor of legalizing recreational marijuana.”

Rinfret said it’s important to remember that marijuana is still a Class One prohibited drug and thus illegal, so states like Colorado, California and Oregon have taken the issue to the ballot box for voters to decide.

Rinfret said the next online Big Sky Poll will be conducted in the fall of 2019.

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