Poll finds growing support among North Carolina residents for legalization of marijuana

An Elon University poll has found growing support among North Carolina residents for legalizing marijuana for recreational use and continued strong support for allowing medical use.

Nearly two-thirds of the state’s adults say they do not believe marijuana use is morally wrong and support reducing penalties for marijuana possession, saying that legalization would boost the economy.

Among adult residents, opposition to legalizing marijuana for recreational use fell sharply since Elon Poll last conducted a survey on the topic in April 2017. The current survey found that 34% of respondents were opposed to recreational marijuana legalization, down from 50.5% in 2017. Meanwhile, support for legalization grew, with 54% now in favor of making recreational use of marijuana legal compared to 45% percent in 2017.

Support for legalizing marijuana for medical use in North Carolina has remained relatively consistent since the 2017 survey. The most recent poll found that 73% support legalizing medical marijuana compared to 80% percent previously. However, opposition levels have remained flat, with 18% percent now saying they are opposed to legalizing medical marijuana compared to 17% percent in 2017.

“Opposition to recreational marijuana legalization fell substantially over the last three years,” said Jason Husser, director of the Elon Poll and associate professor of political science. “I suspect this is due in large part to the wave of states that have passed legalization measures. Medical marijuana legalization remains broadly supported in every demographic group we examined.” [Read more at Charlotte Business Journal]