A new study from Christopher Newport University shows a large majority of Virginians support decriminalizing marijuana.
A new study from Christopher Newport University shows a large majority of Virginians support decriminalizing marijuana.
According to the CNU’s Judy Ford Wason Center for Public Policy study, 71% of Virginians support decriminalizing small amounts of pot possession, though a split of opinion can be seen across generational lines, with voters under the age of 45 more open to the idea by 15%. However the study says “voters over 45 are still overwhelmingly supportive of relaxing the state’s marijuana laws.”
The poll also found 69% of VA voters support marijuana for medicinal purposes.
“The Virginia electorate appears to be ready to move on from the drug wars, at least as it relates to marijuana: to accept medical marijuana and to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana,” said Dr. Quentin Kidd, who oversaw the study, about the its findings. “These views are in line with public opinion nationally, which sees the possession and use of marijuana as less a public policy problem than perhaps it once was.”
A bill to decriminalize small amounts of weed was submitted by Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) for this 2015 GA session.
It survived it’s first hearing two weeks ago and is awaiting a second hearing for an actual vote in the coming weeks.
As far as medicinal weed, a hearing last week went viral after a 14-year-old girl, Haley Smith, had a seizure in the middle of the senate committee meeting.
Smith’s family and doctor believe medical pot could provide a safer alternative to the traditional medical treatment she’s currently receiving.
Similar to the decriminalization bill, the vote on the medical pot bill was delayed until later during the session.
The study covered other topics as well – including people’s opinion on raising the minimum wage to $10.10 p/h by 2017.
Despite the 2015 General Assembly killing every minimum wage increase bill brought before them this year, with support for the increase near 70%, though this number varies depending on the demographic and location.
In Northern Virginia, support is highest at 77% while the lowest level of support, 66%, is found in the Southwest of the state.
Democrats and liberals support the increase by about 96% while Republicans support the idea at a much lower 48%.
“The issue of the minimum wage is one area where Virginia voters and the majority of
the General Assembly appear to be at odds,” said Kidd. “It’s hard for me to see how a
minimum wage increase gets through the General Assembly, despite the widespread
public support for it.”
The study, released yesterday 1/27, interviewed 1,062 Registered Virginia Voters conducted over the last month.
