marijuana plants

A poll by Quinnipiac University found that 52 percent of Ohio voters said marijuana should be legalized for personal use. The majority grew to 84 percent when voters were asked if they supported legalizing pot for medical uses.

(Elaine Thompson, Associated Press)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- More than eight of every 10 Ohio voters support legalization of marijuana for medical use and a majority favor legalizing it for recreational use, a Quinnipiac University Poll found.

The poll, conducted simultaneously in three presidential swing states, found that 84 percent of registered voters in Ohio said a doctor should be able to prescribe marijuana to a patient for medical uses. Fourteen percent were opposed.

Those numbers, released Monday, were similar to results found in Florida and Pennsylvania by Quinnipiac's Swing State Poll. Like Ohio, 84 percent favored legal medical use of marijuana in Florida. In Pennsylvania, 88 percent supported the idea.

But the support for legalized personal use, while still a majority, was not nearly as overwhelming.

In Ohio, 52 percent said they would support making it legal to possess small amounts of marijuana for personal use. Forty-four percent were opposed.

Legalizing marijuana

Several proposals are in the works to legalize marijuana in Ohio.

for an update on the status of those efforts.

The results are significant because Ohio could see one or more issues on the November ballot from groups seeking to legalize marijuana in the state.

One of those groups, ResponsibleOhio, has already been given clearance by the state to circulate petitions and collect signatures from registered voters to try to put its issue on the ballot.

Its measure would amend the state constitution and establish a legal marijuana industry in which Ohioans could purchase marijuana for recreational and medical uses from retail outlets licensed by the state.

Last month the Ohio Ballot Board approved language for the amendment, clearing the way for ResponsibleOhio to start gathering signatures. It started the effort the following week.

To get on the ballot, petitioners will have to collect 305,591 signatures of registered voters -- 10 percent of the vote in the 2014 gubernatorial contest -- from at least 44 of Ohio's 88 counties. In each of those 44 counties, the total gathered must amount to 5 percent of the 2014 gubernatorial vote locally.

The signatures must be gathered by July 1.

In Florida, 55 percent favored legalization for personal use. In Pennsylvania, 51 percent supported the idea.

While the Quinnipiac poll found support for legalization, that did not translate to an expectation of widespread usage.

When voters were asked if they would use it personally, only 14 percent of Ohio voters said they "definitely" or "probably would use it, while 84 percent said "definitely" or "probably" not.

The results in Florida and Pennsylvania were similar.

The polling was conducted from March 17 - 28. Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,077 Ohio voters via telephone. The margin of error in the survey is plus or minus 3 percent.

Similar numbers were surveyed in Florida and Pennsylvania. The margins of error in those states were also plus or minus 3 percent.

The same poll also released results Monday that showed U.S. Sen. Rob Portman faces a tough re-election with the challenge from former Gov. Ted Strickland, who would win if voters decided today.