Pubdate: Fri, 24 Jun 2005
Source: Huntsville Times (AL)
Copyright: 2005 The Huntsville Times
Contact:  http://www.htimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/730
Author: Rush E. Elkins
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

POT-SMOKING DEMOCRATS?

An article in the June 17 edition of The Times, "College towns 
Boston, Boulder tops in pot use," described how marijuana usage 
varies in different parts of the country.

A color-coded map accompanying the article caught my attention 
because of its resemblance to the blue-state/red-state maps we all 
saw after last November's presidential election.

My curiosity was piqued, so I downloaded both the marijuana and 
election data and plotted them against each other 
(oas.samhsa.gov/substate2k5/secC.htm) and 
(www.ipl.org/div/election/updates.html).

Well slap me silly if there wasn't an obvious, strong correspondence 
between marijuana usage and Kerry states. For example, in only six 
out of 31 Bush states had fewer than 5 percent of the residents 
smoked marijuana in the past 30 days, while in only four out of 19 
Kerry states had fewer than 5 percent of residents not smoked the 
stuff in the past 30 days.

Now, this does not mean that voting Democratic makes one want to smoke pot.

Nor does it mean that smoking pot makes one want to vote for Democrats.

It may simply mean that something in the drinking water of some 
states makes one want to smoke pot and vote for Democrats.

Rush E. Elkins

Huntsville
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MAP posted-by: Beth