ARKANSAS, USA — The University of Arkansas' Fulbright Poll showed a big dip in support for legalizing cannabis compared to what we saw in September.
About 60% oppose the measure and another recent poll also showed issue 4's support losing steam.
The poll provided a better idea of where voters stand on issue two— which if approved would make it harder for ballot measures like issue 4 to pass in Arkansas.
According to the poll, the state stands very divided on this issue.
Issue two is one that could affect future elections— and more immediately, affect the push to legalize recreational marijuana.
Kwami Abdul-Bey with the Arkansas Public Policy Panel said that they're against issue 2 because they believe that it would hurt Arkansans rather than help.
“What issue two does is it strikes at a fundamental part of our constitution,” said Abdul-Bey. “It makes it more difficult for the people to be able to exert their power.”
On the other hand, those who support the issue have said the opposite.
“It gives Arkansans more power to defeat bad ideas at the ballot box,” said State Representative David Ray of Maumelle.
Ray said that big changes should be decided by a larger majority. He also believes that changes to the constitution are a big deal and should be treated as such.
“The process by which voters or citizens can put issues on the ballot, that isn't changed at all by issue two, the only thing issue two would change is the threshold for passage,” said Ray.
The public policy panel does not have an official position on issue 4, but Abdul-Bey says if issue 2 passes, it can impact other issues like the push to legalize recreational marijuana.
“If issue two passes, and issue four passes, then the articulated defects in issue four will be so much harder to rectify in the future,” explained Abdul-Bey.
Jerry Cox with the Family Council Action Committee, who is against legalizing marijuana, agreed in the following statement:
If Marijuana Issue 4 were to pass with just over 50% of the vote and Issue 2 also passes, then the threshold for future changes or repeal of the marijuana amendment would no longer be a simple majority, but it would be the higher 60% threshold set by Issue 2. The current situation favors the backers of recreational marijuana because they could pass the marijuana amendment with a simple majority vote and those who might want to change or repeal it in years to come would have to get over 60% of a statewide vote. The marijuana amendment could pass and then be much harder to change later on.
Meanwhile, Ray said that if issue two does pass, it wouldn't impact issues on the ballot right now.
“It would only start, it would only go into effect two years from now and 2024 with future amendments and issues that go on the ballot,” said Ray.