Survey: 11% of D.C. Area Government Employees Have Bought Legal Marijuana
According to a new survey, 11% of government employees in the D.C. area have purchased marijuana legally from a dispensary.
The 11% is considerably higher than the 8% average among all adults in the D.C. media market, which covers roughly five million adults in D.C. as well as parts of Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia. The survey of 1,368 people was conducted by Consumer Research Around Cannabis.
The 11% of government employees having legally purchased marijuana account for an even higher percentage of total marijuana buys at 16.7%. The survey found that 41% of the government employees approved of both legalized adult use and medical marijuana, with only 11% opposed to both.
“Those in charge are anti-marijuana, but that doesn’t represent what most people believe in the higher levels of these agencies”, says NORML founder Keith Stroup. “Most people at the Department of Justice are frankly embarrassed by Attorney General Sessions.”
Interesting, the survey found that 88.3% of those who purchased marijuana recently are employed in some capacity, compared to just 64.5% of the general population in the same area. 76% of these consumers have a household income of $50,000 a year or more, with 37% saying they are making over $100,000. In addition, 68% have at least an undergraduate degree.
“I think it’s clear that the data debunks many of the negative connotations attached to cannabis use – weather for medicinal or recreational use,” said Jeff Stein, Vice President at Consumer Research Around Cannabis. “They are well educated, have good jobs and are on financially sound. Cannabis consumer data like this should be a wake-up call to government officials and companies that have thus far ignored this growing consumer group.”