Most Americans think marijuana should be distributed via pharmacies if legalized for recreational use, though many are also amenable to sales at cannabis-specific shops and, surprisingly, liquor stores.
These are the results of a telephone survey on marijuana legalization involving 1,011 respondents conducted for the financial website TheStreet.com.
Nearly 70% of respondents said a pharmacy is their preferred place for sales if cannabis is legalized. This indicates that a big part of the country views marijuana as a medicinal product, even if it is legal for general adult use.
Despite the preference for pharmacies, many are comfortable with the idea of retail stores. According to the survey, 60% said they’re fine with marijuana being sold at stand-alone shops.
From there it gets really interesting. About 40% of respondents said they are comfortable with cannabis sales in liquor stores, followed by 17% in coffee shops and 13% in supermarkets – with more men favoring these ideas than women.
Regardless of place of sale, most Americans want strict controls on the industry. The survey found that 80% believe marijuana should be regulated like alcohol if it is legalized.
On a broader scale, the poll found that most Americans think medical cannabis should be legal, but 53% say marijuana should remain illegal for recreational purposes.
Interestingly, more men than women are in favor of general legalization (33% vs. 22%). Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that almost 1 in 5 (18%) of the men polled believe the sale of marijuana at the supermarket is a great idea.
The survey is a bit basic to extrapolate tangible information for the cannabis industry (who in the business thinks marijuana should be sold at the supermarket?). And it’s obviously not as inspiring as the October Gallup poll that found that 58% of Americans support marijuana legalization.
But if offers another window into the thoughts of mainstream America about the cannabis industry.
