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Press Release
Marijuana Policy Project Releases Voter Guide Ahead of Louisiana’s Open Primary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, September 18, 2023
Contact: Violet Cavendish
vcavendish@mpp.org
View the Marijuana Policy Project’s full voter guide here
Baton Rouge, LA — On Monday, the Marijuana Policy Project released their 2023 Louisiana Cannabis Policy Voter Guide to educate the citizens of Louisiana where candidates, as well as incumbent legislators, stand on a variety of cannabis issues.
MPP sent out a survey to all candidates for state offices. If the candidate held office in the last four-year term, we also chose nine bills (five criminal justice reform and four medical) to evaluate their voting record and created a color-coded “scorecard” with a letter grade for that legislator/candidate.
MPP’s 2023 Louisiana Cannabis Policy voter guides can be found at these links:
• Louisiana State House of Representatives
• Louisiana State Senate
• Governor
• Lt. Governor
• Secretary of State
• Attorney General
• Treasurer
"We are glad to be able to provide voters a guide as to where their candidate stands on cannabis policy. Since Louisiana does not have a ballot initiative process, the only path to legalization must go through the legislature. This election will decide the makeup of the legislature and the statewide offices for the next four years and will shape prospects for reform for years to come. We hope this voter guide will help voters make educated decisions as to who has earned the right to represent them in Baton Rouge.” -Kevin Caldwell, Southeast Legislative Manager at the Marijuana Policy Project.
Louisiana has been leading the way on cannabis reform in the South. Over the past two years, the legislature has heard roughly 50 cannabis-related bills, with several successfully making it through the legislative process. Meanwhile, a 2023 poll by Louisiana State University found that 70% of respondents support legalizing cannabis for adult use.
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Founded in 1995, the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) is the nation’s leading cannabis policy reform organization. MPP has played a central role in passing dozens of cannabis policy reforms in states across the country, including 10 successful cannabis legalization campaigns, and also works to advance federal reforms.