Poll: Support for legal marijuana spikes in Virginia

The number of Virginians who support legalized recreational marijuana spiked over the past two years to 61 percent, according to a poll conducted earlier this month by the University of Mary Washington.

The last time the school asked voters for their views on legal recreational pot (in September 2017) only 39 percent were in favor.

Stephen J. Farnsworth, a political science professor at the school, responded to the results by quoting Bob Dylan.

“‘The times they are a-changin’ — here in the Old Dominion,” he said in a statement.

Advocates for marijuana reform said they weren’t surprised by the results.

“Virginia attitudes tend to mirror those of the American public on this issue, and the majority of Americans favor legalizing responsible adult use of marijuana,” said Jenn Michelle Pedini, executive director of Virginia NORML, the state chapter of the National Organization for the Reform Marijuana Laws.