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September 30, 2015      5:10 PM

Lyceum poll results indicate diversity of opinion on red meat policy topics

“One thing that’s pretty obvious is that the stereotype of Texans being reflexively conservative is way too gross a characterization”

Four out of five Texans polled on marijuana use would favor either legalizing or decriminalizing the drug, according to the latest Texas Lyceum poll results.

The movement of marijuana bills was one of the more surprising aspects of last session, given Texas’ conservative leadership. The Texas Lyceum’s non-partisan poll results, released today and based on phone surveys of 1,000 Texans this month, indicated 46 percent favored legalizing the drug. Of the 50 percent that opposed legalization, better than half supported a decriminalization option.

“One thing that’s pretty obvious is that the stereotype of Texans being reflexively conservative is way too gross a characterization,” pollster Daron Shaw said at a news conference this morning. “The state has a very diverse, large population.”

That appears to be true of marijuana: Only 19.5 percent that opposed legalization and decriminalization. Former prosecutor Rep. Joe Moody, R-El Paso, carried the marijuana decriminalization bill, which had 40 co-sponsors and cleared committee. The key component of the bill, which failed to pass, would be to lower the fine for possession of nominal amounts of marijuana to a $250 fine and a citation.

By Kimberly Reeves