Poll: New Jersey Voters Likely to Approve Legalization

A Monmouth University poll found 61 percent of New Jersey voters said they will vote to legalize adult cannabis use in the state when the issue appears on November ballots; 34 percent said they would oppose the reforms.

The poll found the legalization measure was supported by 74 percent of Democrats, 64 percent of independents, and 40 percent of Republicans.

Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, noted that just 5 percent of respondents said they had “no opinion” on legalization, which may have attributed to its popularity in the poll.

“Support for the marijuana ballot measure is widespread in part because many who have no opinion on whether legalization is a good idea figure they might as well vote for it.” – Murray

Nearly the same amount who support legalization (62 percent) said that legalizing cannabis would help the state’s economy, while just 10 percent said it would hurt the economy and 21 percent it would have neither a positive nor negative impact.

Just 27 percent of respondents said that cannabis legalization would lead to an increase in other drug crimes, while 22 percent it would lead to a decrease in other drug crimes, but 46 percent of those polled said it would not have an impact on other drug crimes either way.

Overall, 64 percent of respondents said that they support legalizing possession of small amounts of cannabis for personal use, with 32 percent opposed.

The legalization question, which is set for November ballots in New Jersey, currently reads as follows:

“Do you approve amending the Constitution to legalize a controlled form of marijuana called ‘cannabis’? Only adults at least 21 years of age could use cannabis. The State commission created to oversee the State’s medical cannabis program would also oversee the new, personal use cannabis market. Cannabis products would be subject to the State sales tax. If authorized by the Legislature, a municipality may pass a local ordinance to charge a local tax on cannabis products.”      

The ballot question was approved by lawmakers after they were unable to reach a deal during session.