Only 16 percent of people taking a recent Ball State University survey think marijuana should remain illegal in Indiana. But those that support legalization are split on how Hoosiers should get to use the substance. IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports.

(Provided by Ball State University)

The Hoosier Survey is conducted annually by Ball State’s Bowen Center for Public Affairs. This year’s group of respondents ranked marijuana as posing less of a problem in their communities than other drugs, and even than alcohol.

Results were mixed when they were asked how marijuana should be used. Thirty-nine percent said legal recreational use was okay. Forty-two percent said it should only be legal for medical purposes through a medical cannabis dispensary, showing the obvious and even split in opinion.

Greg Noland is a Libertarian who recently ran for a state Senate seat. He says full legalization would protect more Hoosier children.

“When it’s underground, our children – it’s being sold in our schools and our playgrounds. Where we need that is it being sold in drug stores, where people have to look at the person’s ID and say ‘You’re not old enough to be smoking this.’”

This year, an Indiana legislative study committee is the first to consider the possibility of medical marijuana in the state.

Survey results also showed Democrats under the age of 35 showed the most support for marijuana. The least support came from Republicans 55 or older.