AAPOR National Polling Conference Panel on Marijuana Legalization – May 15

The American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) will hold its national conference for the first time in its 71-year history in Denver this May. Its opening panel on the legalization of marijuana is co-sponsored with the University of Denver-based Crossley Center for Public Opinion Research at the Korbel School. The panel for AAPOR members is open to the public and will be held May 15 at 5:00 pm at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel.

Marijuana legalization will be examined from the perspective of the interaction of public opinion and public policy. Beyond the extensive research of national trends, we now have opinion to study in several states at different stages of implementation with a variety of regulatory regimes.

Not only is public opinion analyses useful, but a variety of other metrics are available as acceptance and resistance within “legal” states continues with local votes on distribution and taxation. Also, there are growing numbers of studies, often using survey research about benefits and costs, including criminal activity, youth usage, health issues and driving.

Some topics for public opinion and marijuana panel are:

• Current national status of public opinion on legalization of marijuana
• Is national acceptance inevitable?
• Which states are next to legalize? Which are not?
• Change in opinion/political environment due to Attorney General Sessions’ position. Impact on legalization in more states.
• How does it affect adoption of recreational use in legal states?
• Impact of President Trump’s comments on enforcement
• Colorado 5 years into legalization 
• What is the geography of recreational/commercialization acceptance?
• What are the economics of marijuana, tax benefits?
• California one year in
• Merge of medical and recreation
• Conflicts between legal and illegal

Public Opinion and Legalization of Marijuana

May 15

5:00 pm

Reception Follows

Sheraton Denver Downtown

Panelists:

Doug Schwartz – Quinnipiac University Poll, director, moderator
David Metz – President of FM3 pollsters in California
Rick Ridder – Campaign manager, pollster (international), Colorado
Skyler McKinley – Former Deputy Director of Colorado Office of Marijuana Coordination, Colorado government affairs AAA
Floyd Ciruli – Director of Crossley Center for Public Opinion Research, Korbel School, DU, pollster