Washington, D.C. voters are strongly in favor of proposals to broadly decriminalize drugs and establish harm reduction centers, a new poll found. One week after activists announced an effort to pressure local lawmakers to enact the reforms, a coalition of activists group organized under the banner of DecrimPovertyDC released a survey showing just how popular the policy changes are among D.C. residents. It also found that voters would be more likely to elect local legislators who embrace decriminalization. At a top-level, 83 percent of respondents said that they favor having the D.C. Council pass an ordinance to “remove criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of commonly-used controlled substances consistent with personal use.” That includes 65 percent who strongly support the far-reaching reform. The prompt also asked participants whether they support increased funding for “substance use treatment, healthcare, housing, and other services for individuals struggling with addiction, underlying health conditions, or poverty.” That’s good news for advocates who recently launched a campaign to urge local lawmakers to broadly decriminalize drugs, with a focus on expanding treatment resources and harm reduction services.
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 10/26/2021 08:53:00