Because percentages of support and opposition are often grouped together, how strongly respondents hold their opinions isn’t clear unless support and opposition numbers are split according to strength. Those who answer "much more likely" or "much less likely" as opposed to simply "more likely" or "less likely" are believed to hold their opinions more strongly and be more apt to act upon them.

To illustrate the impact of strength of support, the Ten State Poll (#56-65) as a sum found that 36% of Republicans would be "much more likely" to vote for elected officials who embrace medical marijuana as opposed to only 16% who say they would be "much less likely." Hence, twice the number of Republicans hold strong beliefs in favor of medicinal cannabis, than Republicans who feel strongly opposed to it.

If Republican support is high, the Democratic endorsement of medical cannabis is unambiguously rock solid. More than 50% of Democrats are "much more likely" to vote for champions of the issue, with another 17.2% simply "more likely." In sum, over three-quarters of Democrats will likely cast their ballots in favor of pro-medical marijuana candidates. With only about 7% "much less likely" to vote for such officials, Democrats strongly in favor of medicinal cannabis candidates outnumber those strongly opposed by seven to one.

Clearly, the depth and breadth of support for medical marijuana represents a major political opportunity. Through it, political parties can solidify their own bases while assuming leadership on an issue that also enjoys substantial cross-party and general public support.