A new Talk Business/Hendrix College poll shows support dropping for the initiative to legalize medical use of marijuana with a doctor's approval from a state-regulated dispensary.
The Oct. 18 sounding showed respondents opposed to the measure 54-38, a marked change from 47-46 support in late July.
Official Arkansas, led by law enforcement, has been steadily beating the drum against pain relief for sick people. I did see some new advertising from Arkansans for Compassionate Care last night that effectively made the point for the need for access to marijuana, using a real person (non-threatening, older). Whether such a campaign can turn around a gap as wide as this poll indicates is a good question.
Interesting demographic: People identified as Democrats favored the measure 51-39. Independents likewise favored it 53-37. Republicans opposed it 71-23.