New Jersey voters across the political spectrum strongly support the legalization of cannabis and former Vice President Joe Biden for the November ballot.
That's according to a new poll from law firm Brach Eichler LLC that surveyed some 500 registered voters in the Garden State.
Up to 68% of the respondents said they would vote in favor of the initiative to legalize the purchase of cannabis from licensed businesses. Some 26% of those who responded said they would oppose it, while just 6% said they were "unsure."
Poll respondents were split about whether the reforms should include local control of cannabis sales – which would allow municipalities to decide whether to allow cannabis sales within their city limits. The majority – 44 percent – of respondents favored home rule, with 41 percent opposed, and 51 percent unsure. Respondents also favored social-use lounges (50-38 percent), home delivery (55 to 33 percent), and limiting cannabis use to private property (71 to 26 percent).
Amid the ongoing expansion of New Jersey’s medical marijuana market as well as the anticipated victory of recreational legalization at the ballot box in November, some of the state’s cannabis companies are investing heavily in cultivation build-outs and other infrastructure to meet an expected surge in demand.
Many industry insiders anticipate the New Jersey marijuana market will be one of the hottest on the East Coast once recreational sales actually begin – assuming voters approve the fall ballot measure.
Insiders concede, however, sales might not happen until 2022.
Latest news on the New Jersey Marijuana Legalization Amendment
July 28 — A new DKC Analytics poll found that 68% of New Jersey registered voters support adult-use cannabis legalization. The favorable numbers are up significantly from a Monmouth University poll in April, which found 61% support on the issue. More at NJ.com.
Full text: NJ Marijuana Legalization Amendment
Read the full proposal here: New Jersey Marijuana Legalization Amendment (S2703/A4497)
Sixty-seven percent of respondents — including majorities of Democrats (78 percent), Independents (63 percent), and Republicans (57 percent) — back the November 2020 measure, which amends the state Constitution to permit the possession, production, and retail sale of cannabis to those age 21 or older. That’s an increase of six percentage points since voters were last posed the question in April.
A supermajority of New Jersey voters say in a new poll that they support a marijuana legalization referendum that will appear on the November ballot.
The survey, which was conducted by DKC Analytics and released on Tuesday, shows that 68 percent of respondents back the policy change. That’s a seven percentage point increase compared to a separate poll on the issue released in April.
The survey also shows that voters support allowing social consumption lounges for cannabis, 50 percent to 38 percent.
Financial analysis firm Cantor Fitzgerald released a report on Wednesday which estimates that Arizona, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut will legalize recreational cannabis sales in the next two years.
Analyst Pablo Zuanic calculates that these new states will add $3.5 billion in market potential for cannabis MSOs and other smaller players.
“We’re not inventing marijuana,” he said. “It exists.”
The topic came up as the governor spoke about the ongoing financial crisis brought on by closures to stem the spread of the virus in March. The state, too, has had to spend additional funds in attempts to control the outbreak, and could borrow as much as $9.9 billion over the next year, if state lawmakers approve a massive proposal later this week.
The governor of New Jersey said on Tuesday that legalizing marijuana could simultaneously help the state recover economically from the coronavirus pandemic while also promoting racial justice.
During an interview on the radio program Jim Kerr Anytime, Gov. Phil Murphy (D) recognized that the state is going to need to be innovative to generate revenue amid the health crisis. A co-host said cannabis could be part of the solution and the governor agreed.
In the wake of growing unrest over racial injustice, several states have taken steps that may give legalization proponents reason to be optimistic. For example, Georgia lawmakers included decriminalizing marijuana in a recent police reform bill. In New Jersey, a decriminalization bill passed the state Assembly by a 63-10 vote. Taking everything into account, Karen O’Keefe, the director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project, believes we will see a record number of states legalize marijuana next year.