Iowans Support Medical and Recreational Cannabis

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]T[/dropcap]he results of a new poll states that the majority of Iowa residents are supportive of medical cannabis program improvements, as well as recreational cannabis legalization.

According to the Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll, many residents have said that they want the state’s medical cannabis program to be expanded, as well as for recreational cannabis consumption to be legalized. The poll is based on the answers of 800 individuals, and the margin of error is estimated to be about 3.5 percentage points. These results are based on the following question: “Here are some specific issues that have been debated in the Iowa Legislature this year. For each, please tell me if you favor or oppose the initiative.”

Fifty-three percent of those who were polled stated that they would like to see adult-use cannabis a reality. Eighty-one percent also said that they support expanding the medical cannabis program as well. This same poll began asking residents their opinion on various state topics, with cannabis being mentioned as early as 2013. Back then, only about 27 percent of participants admitted that they would like to see recreational cannabis legalized.

According to the Des Moines Register, Iowa residents have been polled eight times since 2013 about cannabis as a topic. The publication provided a graph that exhibited the growth of interest in cannabis over time, as well as the decrease in opposition, since 2013.

Age appears to be a defining factor in these results, with 75 percent of those who are younger than 35 would like to see recreational cannabis legalized, whereas only 56 people ages 35-54 support the idea. Sex doesn’t seem to matter in this case, as a near-equal amount of both men and women, 54 percent and 53 percent, support legalization.

In terms of other affiliations, 67 percent of those who are Democrats, 58 percent of independents and 79 percent of people who don’t make more than $700,000 annually believe in legalization as well. This also includes those who are Catholic (53 percent), those who live in cities (60 percent), suburbs (58 percent) and towns (53 percent). By these results, there appears to be less support in more rural areas, or through those who are Protestant, evangelical or Republican.

The Iowa House of Representatives passed a bill last week that would increase the amount of THC in medical cannabis products to 4.5 grams. It would also allow those who suffer from conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain or “severe, intractable autism with self-injurious or aggressive behaviors.” The bill has been sent to the Senate for review.