Poll: 40% of people back legalising marijuana

Four out of 10 people would support the legalisation of marijuana, according to the latest Red C opinion poll carried out by Paddy Power Bookmakers.

The poll shows that, excluding the ‘don’t knows,’ 40% are in favour of legalisation and 60% are against.

The strong pro-legalisation support, which will surprise many, shows more males (46%) than females (35%) are in favour, while supporters of Sinn Féin (58%) and the Labour Party (46%) are a lot more in favour compared to Fine Gael (33%) and Fianna Fáil (28%).

Last night, TD Luke Ming Flanagan, whose private members’ cannabis bill secured just eight Dáil votes late last year, described the poll as “a very positive result,” claiming Irish people will realise that “streets will be safer and national coffers fuller” if the drug is legalised.

The poll shows Sinn Féin has made the strongest political gain, despite party leader Gerry Adams coming under severe criticism on a number of issues, including the controversy about his paedophile brother Liam and comments about the murder of two RUC officers by the IRA in 1989.

The poll saw Sinn Féin jump three points to 18%, while satisfaction with Gerry Adams increased by two points to 26%.

The poll was conducted among 1,004 adults between Jan 6 and 8 — just one week before the Dáil returns on Wednesday. With the local and European elections in May, it will be closely analysed by the parties.

It shows support for Fine Gael down one point to 28% compared to last November, and well below its 36% standing in the 2011 general election.

Likewise, following the clean exit from the bailout, the Labour Party also witnessed a decrease in support, down 2 points to 10%.

However, both party leaders made gains in the satisfaction rating with Taoiseach Enda Kenny up seven points from 36% to 43%.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore is up five points to 23%, the lowest of the party leaders’ satisfaction ratings.

Fianna Fáil, which lost 57 seats in the 2011 general election securing just 17% of the vote, was unchanged in the poll at 22%, while party leader Micheál Martin’s satisfaction rating was down two points to 33%.

Support for independents and others remained unchanged at 22%.