Available surveys are split as to whether men are more pro-medicinal cannabis than women. At 82%, the 2002 IMMLY (#54) study gave women the edge in agreeing that Wisconsin should have medical marijuana legislation. Only 13% of women opposed this action. Men in this survey favored these laws by a slightly less 79%, with almost 20% opposing.

On the other hand, the 2001 Maryland Poll (#44) found that 70% of men, but only 62% of women believed that doctors should prescribe marijuana to AIDS and cancer patients. Conversely, 25% of men and 31% of women felt its possession should remain a crime. The dramatic reversal of percentage of women favoring medicinal marijuana likely lies in question wording.

Blacks and whites appear to be more or less equal in their support of this issue. At 39% vs. 30%, the 2002 Maryland Poll (#52) found whites a little more likely to vote for pro-medical marijuana candidates than blacks. But at 66% vs. 67%, whites and blacks are about equal in their belief that physicians should be able to prescribe marijuana (as opposed to any possession remaining a criminal offense) in the annual Maryland survey fielded one year earlier (#44).

As might be expected, younger people are more apt to be in favor of medical marijuana than their older counterparts. The Delta-9 study of Bernadillo County voters (#37) found that 88% of Gen X’ers (18-39 years old) and 80% of Baby Boomers (40-59) agreed that New Mexico legislators should widen patient access to marijuana. The favorable percentage fell to 57% for the WW II generation.

The March 2002 New Hampshire survey (#66), on the other hand, revealed that the age range most resistant to allowing the medicinal use of marijuana is 40-49 years old with 18% in strong opposition. A main parenting age, particularly of teenagers, this cohort’s disdain may reflect concerns about teen drug abuse.