Nearly three-quarters of likely voters said that they will vote “yes” on the ballot measure to reimpose felony charges for certain drug- and theft-related offenses.

Much of the Proposition 36 debate has focused on the increased penalties for shoplifting, but the drug policy changes are even more dramatic.

A new statewide poll in California found that nearly three-quarters of Golden State residents support Proposition 36, a ballot measure that would re-classify some misdemeanors as felonies and would also create a new category of crime called a "treatment-mandated felony.

A ballot measure that will increase the penalties for low-level thefts and drug possession has overwhelming support from California voters, according to a new study from the Public Policy Institute of California.

The new numbers, from the Public Policy Institute of California, also show strong support for climate and education bond measures.

In the Golden State, a ballot measure seeking to strengthen penalties for various crimes looks well on its way to passing in November. Proposition 36, titled the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act,