Poll: Majority of voters oppose Sessions’ crackdown on legal marijuana

A huge majority of American voters oppose Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s moves to crack down on marijuana use, according to a poll released Thursday.

The Quinnipiac poll, conducted Jan. 5–9, shows 70 percent of voters oppose enforcing federal marijuana laws in states that have legalized medical or recreational marijuana.

Sessions announced last week plans to rescind the so-called Cole memo, which ordered U.S. attorneys general in states where marijuana has been legalized to de-prioritize prosecution of pot-related cases. 

{mosads}In general, 58 percent of voters, including 79 percent of voters ages 18–34, support full pot legalization. In addition, 91 percent of voters support the legalization of medical marijuana, according to the poll. 

The Obama-era Cole memo helped allow legalized marijuana use to thrive in certain states. It is not clear when the new policy would go into effect or what it’s immediate impact would be.

The decision drew criticism from numerous lawmakers, including several Republicans who argued the decision should be left up to the states. California, Washington and Colorado are among the six states where recreational marijuana has been legalized. 

Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont are poised to join those states later this year.