Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Louisiana residents, for the most part, have a much more relaxed and tolerant approach toward marijuana than current state laws reflect, according to findings from a statewide survey conducted by LSU this winter.
LSU conducted its poll of 980 state residents between Jan. 12 and Feb. 13. The margin of error is 3.1 percentage points in either direction. The survey is performed every year by the Reilly Center for Media and Public Affairs as well as the Public Policy Research Lab.
The university asked about three different marijuana policies. Here is what it found:
Majority Of Louisiana Residents Oppose Legal Marijuana For Personal Use.
Most people surveyed (52 percent) still oppose legalizing marijuana for recreational use, but the gap between those who don't want to legalize recreational marijuana and those who support it (45 percent) is shrinking.
In 2013, 56 percent of people said they opposed legalizing marijuana for personal use and 42 percent said they supported it -- a gap of 14 points. Now, that gap has shrunk to just a seven-point difference.
Young adults -- people ages 18 to 29 -- are more likely to support legal marijuana for personal use. The LSU survey found 68 percent of people in this age group supported it and 32 percent opposed it.
One Louisiana legislator is already pushing to legalize marijuana for personal use. Rep. Dalton Honore, D-Baton Rouge, has filed legislation to put possession, distribution and dispensing of marijuana and its derivatives on the Louisiana ballot Nov. 8, 2016. Under Honore's bill -- which will be considered this spring -- voters would get to decide whether it became legal to smoke pot recreationally.
Majority Of Louisiana Residents Support Legal Medical Marijuana.
A large number of Louisiana residents (60 percent) support legalizing medicinal marijuana, though that lead has shrunk significantly since last year, when 79 percent of people said they supported it.
People of almost all ages support medical marijuana. There is only widespread opposition to legalizing marijuana for medical purposes among people who are 65 years-old or older, according to the LSU Survey.
At least two legislators -- Honore and state Sen. Fred Mills -- are going to push for medical marijuana legalization during the spring lawmaking session that starts next week. Gov. Bobby Jindal has also indicated that he would support legal medical marijuana, so long as it was tightly regulated.
Majority Of Louisiana Residents Don't Agree With Jail Time For Holding Small Amounts Of Marijuana.
Two-thirds of Louisiana residents (67 percent) do not think people should go to jail for possessing a small amount of marijuana, as they can now under Louisiana law.
LSU found that Louisiana's state and local government spends around $7.5 million annually on putting people who possessed a small amount of marijuana behind bars. The majority of people surveyed (79 percent) said people shouldn't serve jail time for possessing small amounts of the drug.
Legislators are also considering marijuana "decriminalization" bills this spring, which would reduce the criminal penalties for marijuana possession.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Louisiana's view on marijuana is out of sync with state laws, LSU survey finds | NOLA.com
Author: Julia O'Donoghue
Contact: julia_odonoghue@nola.com
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: New Orleans, LA Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - NOLA.com
LSU conducted its poll of 980 state residents between Jan. 12 and Feb. 13. The margin of error is 3.1 percentage points in either direction. The survey is performed every year by the Reilly Center for Media and Public Affairs as well as the Public Policy Research Lab.
The university asked about three different marijuana policies. Here is what it found:
Majority Of Louisiana Residents Oppose Legal Marijuana For Personal Use.
Most people surveyed (52 percent) still oppose legalizing marijuana for recreational use, but the gap between those who don't want to legalize recreational marijuana and those who support it (45 percent) is shrinking.
In 2013, 56 percent of people said they opposed legalizing marijuana for personal use and 42 percent said they supported it -- a gap of 14 points. Now, that gap has shrunk to just a seven-point difference.
Young adults -- people ages 18 to 29 -- are more likely to support legal marijuana for personal use. The LSU survey found 68 percent of people in this age group supported it and 32 percent opposed it.
One Louisiana legislator is already pushing to legalize marijuana for personal use. Rep. Dalton Honore, D-Baton Rouge, has filed legislation to put possession, distribution and dispensing of marijuana and its derivatives on the Louisiana ballot Nov. 8, 2016. Under Honore's bill -- which will be considered this spring -- voters would get to decide whether it became legal to smoke pot recreationally.
Majority Of Louisiana Residents Support Legal Medical Marijuana.
A large number of Louisiana residents (60 percent) support legalizing medicinal marijuana, though that lead has shrunk significantly since last year, when 79 percent of people said they supported it.
People of almost all ages support medical marijuana. There is only widespread opposition to legalizing marijuana for medical purposes among people who are 65 years-old or older, according to the LSU Survey.
At least two legislators -- Honore and state Sen. Fred Mills -- are going to push for medical marijuana legalization during the spring lawmaking session that starts next week. Gov. Bobby Jindal has also indicated that he would support legal medical marijuana, so long as it was tightly regulated.
Majority Of Louisiana Residents Don't Agree With Jail Time For Holding Small Amounts Of Marijuana.
Two-thirds of Louisiana residents (67 percent) do not think people should go to jail for possessing a small amount of marijuana, as they can now under Louisiana law.
LSU found that Louisiana's state and local government spends around $7.5 million annually on putting people who possessed a small amount of marijuana behind bars. The majority of people surveyed (79 percent) said people shouldn't serve jail time for possessing small amounts of the drug.
Legislators are also considering marijuana "decriminalization" bills this spring, which would reduce the criminal penalties for marijuana possession.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Louisiana's view on marijuana is out of sync with state laws, LSU survey finds | NOLA.com
Author: Julia O'Donoghue
Contact: julia_odonoghue@nola.com
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: New Orleans, LA Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - NOLA.com
