[420 Girl]

Seventy-one percent of New Yorkers support making medical marijuana legal in the state, while voters have fizzled on a plan to tax soda and sugary drinks, a Quinnipiac Poll today found.

Fourteen states have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes, but while the measure has passed in the New York Assembly, it has not passed in the state Senate.

The proposal is supported in New York across political, racial and regional groups, Quinnipiac reported. Fifty-five percent of Republicans support it, compared to 78 percent of Democrats.

“It hasn’t attracted a lot of attention, but New York state voters would like to emulate their New Jersey neighbors and approve medical use of marijuana,” said Quinnipiac pollster Maurice Carroll.

New Yorkers opposed 57 percent to 40 percent the so-called “obesity tax” proposal by Gov. David Paterson to add a tax on sugary beverages. A year ago, Quinnipiac found that 64 percent of voters were opposed to the idea, and Paterson ultimately dropped the idea.

New York City voters oppose the measure by a slim 50 percent to 47 percent, but opposition is stronger among suburban and upstate voters. Sixty-two percent of upstate voters opposed the idea.

While 81 percent of New Yorkers agree the state’s budget problems are “very serious,” only 9 percent of voters say the state Legislature has the courage to deal with the problem.

Voters support term limits for statewide offices, which has been proposed by Paterson, 77 percent to 18 percent. Fifty-eight percent of New Yorkers support cutting services to balance the state budget, but 78 percent do not want school aid cut.

Seventy-five percent support a wage freeze for state workers.

Forty-seven percent of voters support Democrats holding the majority in the state Senate, while in upstate voters are split over who should run the chamber. Democrats hold a slim 32-30 seat majority heading into this year’s elections.

From Jan. 27 through Feb. 1, Quinnipiac University surveyed 2,182 New York voters. The poll had a margin of error of 2.1 percentage points.


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