A recent survey from the University of New Orleans Survey Research Center has found a paradigm shift in the opinion of legalizing marijuana for recreational use.
In fact a significant majority, 55% of nearly 700 people surveyed, are in favor of the legalization of marijuana for recreational use.
“We’ve seen nationwide a change in favor of legalizing marijuana, not just for medicinal but for recreational use,” says Ed Chervenak, the Director of the Survey Research Center.
When talking about the results of the survey, Chervenak explains: “We wanted to get a sense of where people were in their thinking about the legalization of recreational use of marijuana.”
Chervenak breaks down the findings of the survey thusly: “You find some of the more traditional differences. Young people more supportive than older people, Democrats more supportive than Republicans,” he continues. “But the real take away is the fact that over a majority of Louisiana registered voters favor the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana.”
This survey comes at a time when legislation is moving through the Louisiana State House on doing just that, legalizing marijuana for recreation consumption.
Chervenak says politicians understand how valuable the growing of marijuana could be.
“Elected officials are looking at other states and they’re basically cashing in on what you would call a cash crop, and so they’re looking at as a way to add revenue to the state budget,” Chervenak explains. “So, the nation seems to be moving in that direction and certainly a number of states have and it may be time for Louisiana to do so as well.”
