New poll shows 61% of Missourians support Amendment 3, legalizing marijuana
Numbers Show Broad Support Across All Demographics and Geographies
Just released poll numbers by SurveyUSA show a solid majority of Missouri voters plan to vote to legalize adult-use marijuana on November 8. According to the poll, 61% of Missourians say they are certain to vote yes on Amendment 3.
“This is the strongest sign yes that voters are ready to make Missouri the 20th State to legalize marijuana,” said John Payne, Campaign Manager, Legal MO 22. “Our message is hitting home with voters because Amendment 3 will bring tens of millions of dollars to Missouri each year to help veterans and automatically expunge past, nonviolent marijuana records. It will also fund drug treatment programs and allow police to concentrate on fighting serious and violent crime.”
The proposed constitutional amendment would allow Missourians ages 21 and older to possess, consume, purchase, and cultivate marijuana. A 6 percent retail sales tax would generate estimated annual revenue of at least $40.8 million (and likely much higher) and additional local government revenues of at least $13.8 million, a state fiscal analysis projects.
“We are encouraged and excited. The next few days we will continue taking our message to as many voters as possible. Legalizing marijuana creates jobs and economic vitality. It’s a way to regulate, test and tax this product that local consumers want made legal,” said Payne.
The survey also found support to be strong across all demographic groups and geographical regions in Missouri. The SurveyUSA Poll was conducted in partnership with Gray Media and its Missouri television stations.
If approved, Missouri will be the first state in the nation to expunge nonviolent marijuana convictions by a vote of the people. The efforts to clear the criminal records will be funded through tax revenues from the sale of marijuana.
For more information and commonly asked questions, please visit www.LegalMO22.com.
Additional Highlights of Amendment 3:
• Levies state taxes of 6 percent on retail sales of marijuana
New revenue funds regulatory program and costs to process automatic expungements, with the surplus split equally among veterans’ services, drug addiction treatment, and Missouri’s underfunded public defender system.
• Allows local governments to assess sales taxes of up to 3 percent
• Allows local communities to opt out of adult-use retail marijuana sales through a vote of the people
• Strengthens Missouri’s medical marijuana program
The petition extends the amount of time that medical marijuana patient and caregiver ID cards are valid – from one to three years while keeping the cost low ($25). And the current $100 fee for Missourians who choose to grow medical marijuana at home will be reduced by half, with the expiration period also extended from one to three years.
• Provides employment discrimination protection for medical patients, preventing them from being denied employment, being disciplined or being fired for off-the-job medical marijuana use
• Adds nurse practitioners to the healthcare professionals who can issue medical cannabis recommendations to patients
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Paid for by Legal Missouri 2022, Paul Bocci, Treasurer.