Study Shows Kentucky Favors Recreational Cannabis Legalization

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]N[/dropcap]ew study results in the state reveal that most legal adults in Kentucky feel that cannabis should be fully legal or at least partially accepted.

According to the 2019 Kentucky Health Issues Poll sponsored by Interact for Health and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, nine out of every 10 people interviewed have favored legalizing medical cannabis since the 1990s. The survey asked if cannabis should be legal for medical reasons, recreational reasons or under any circumstances, and the results show that cannabis is liked across party lines and ages.

“Nine in 10 Kentucky adults (90 percent) favor allowing the purchase and use of marijuana for medical purposes if a doctor recommends it,” the study explains. “Six in 10 adults (59 percent) support allowing marijuana under any circumstances. About half (49 percent) favor allowing marijuana for recreational purposes. Support has increased since KHIP last asked these questions in 2012.

In addition to this upswing, while Democrats were more likely than Republicans to favor cannabis legalization under any circumstances, as is to be expected, more than five in 10 Independents favored legalizing recreational cannabis in Kentucky. When asked if those who were polled have a friend or family member who regularly uses cannabis, four in 10 people in Kentucky said yes, showing that cannabis use is common across the state and not taboo. This is the first time Kentucky asked residents about folks they know who use cannabis.

It won’t be surprising if cannabis becomes legal in Kentucky soon. The Kentucky legislature now officially supports legal cannabis and a medical cannabis bill has been pre-filed in the state which could lead to medical cannabis in the new future. This survey is even more of an indication that Kentucky could be ready for full or medical legalization soon.