A majority of Delawareans support fully legalizing marijuana according to a new poll, but the issue’s political future isn’t quite as certain.
56 percent of state residents are in favor of it, compared to 39 percent opposing the issue according to the University of Delaware poll.
State Rep. Helene Keeley (D-Wilmington South) initially sponsored legislation doing just that without a tax or regulation structure behind it, but it was later amended to simply decriminalize the drug. It passed out of committee late in the session, but never made it to the House floor.
Keeley says the legislature likely isn’t ready to fully legalize pot and that further studies on Colorado and Washington State need to be performed for an informed decision, citing concerns over possible access for minors and predatory marketing initiatives.
"We don't want them to get alcohol, we don't want them to get cigarettes, we sure don't want them to be able to get a hold of marijuana either," said Keeley.
But she says she would “love” Delaware to be the first state in the Mid-Atlantic to benefit from a new tax base.
“It would be wonderful to be able to have that. If you think about it from the perspective of even the racino industry, I mean, we were the first. We benefited for many, many years.”
State Sen. Bryan Townsend (D-Newark), another prime sponsor of the decriminalization bill agrees, but also notes it shouldn't be a revenue stream to lean on.
"We need to be very careful not to assume that revenue from this would always be there and that it would flow freely," said Townsend, noting the continuing decline of the gambling industry. But he says there will be a more important savings by jettisoning those nonviolent marijuana offenders from the criminal justice system.
From January to August, Colorado has raked in $45 million in tax revenue. Recreational sales there in August pushed past medicinal sales at $34.1 million.
A demographic breakdown of the poll didn't yield any surprises.
68 percent of those under 30-years-old approve of legalization, with support dipping slightly as residents age. The starkest contrast is among those older than 60 -- 37 percent of whom disapprove of legalizing the drug.
Those who further their education also support the move up to a point. Delawareans who attain some education after high school responded positively at 63 percent, but those with a four-year degree or more are split at 50 percent.
But Delaware has yet to open its first medical marijuana dispensary after approving legislation in 2011.
State Department of Health and Social Services officials signed a contract with First State Compassion Center in August with sales expected to start in early 2015. But First State Compassion Center and former political operative Mark Lally are being sued by former business partners over allegedly breaking a consulting contract.
Townsend says he doesn't want to see a similar lag when it comes to fully legalizing marijuana.
“It makes little sense to me that we should follow that kind of unfortunate delay with even more delay on moving towards much more common sense drug policies,” said Townsend.
Gov. Jack Markell (D-Delaware) has said he would veto such legislation, but is continuing talks over decriminalization.
Keeley plans to file a new decriminalization bill in December should she win reelection.
