Monmouth Poll: Support for legal weed in NJ is high

62% of New Jersey adults support legalizing marijuana, up from 59% last year, according to a Monmouth University Poll released this morning.

Most New Jersey adults (62%) currently support legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use while 32% oppose this.  These numbers are in line with the 59% – 37% split recorded in a Monmouth poll last year. However, statewide support for legalization is higher than five years ago when it stood at 48% in favor and 47% opposed.  Marijuana legalization receives support from most Democrats (72%) and independents (61%), but less than half of Republicans (47%).  By age, support stands at 81% among those 18 to 34 years old and at just over half among those age 35 to 54 (56%) and age 55 or older (53%).

“We find widespread public support for legalizing marijuana, but the devil is in the details.  A question mark for some New Jerseyans is whether the state can set up an adequate regulatory system,” said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.

Public support is a little softer, but still positive, on a legislative proposal to allow anyone over the age of 21 to purchase small quantities of marijuana for their own personal use from businesses that have been licensed by the state. Half (50%) say this is a good idea while 34% say it is a bad idea. Another 17% are unsure. The number of New Jerseyans who view this proposal as a good idea has jumped 14 points since 2014 when it was 36%, while the number who say it is a bad idea has fallen by 11 points from 45%.