Poll: More support legalizing marijuana
Overall support in the state for legalizing recreational marijuana grew by just 2 percentage points over the past two years, but more people said they now “strongly support” legalization, according to poll results released Tuesday by the groups that commissioned it.
Sixty-three percent of 420 New Mexicans who responded to a poll in March said they would support a bill in the Legislature to legalize, tax and regulate sales of marijuana to adults age 21 and over. Those who “strongly support” legalization, 46 percent, had grown by 6 percentage points since the last survey in 2016.
“This poll builds upon the last one two years ago, and I think we’re seeing public opinion shift considerably in a very positive direction,” said state Rep. Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque. “I do see it as an asset, not only in my chamber but also in the other chamber and with whoever occupies the Fourth Floor,” referring to the governor’s office
at the state Capitol.
Research & Polling Inc. of Albuquerque conducted the survey, which Martinez and legalization supporters unveiled at a Roundhouse news conference. A coalition of organizations, including the nonprofit Drug Policy Alliance and Ultra Health, which produces medical marijuana and operates dispensaries in Santa Fe and 12 other cities in New Mexico, paid for the poll. Of the calls placed in the phone survey, 69 percent were random cellphone numbers in the state. The poll results had a 4.8 percent margin of error.
“Younger adults, those who are employed versus retirees, registered independents, Democrats and unregistered voters were most supportive” of legalizing adult-use marijuana, said Brian Sanderoff, president of Research & Polling. “Republicans were less supportive.”
In 2016, 40 percent of those who answered a similar poll strongly supported legal marijuana sales to adults and 21 percent “somewhat” supported the idea. The number of respondents opposed to legalization fell by 3 percentage points since 2016 to 31 percent. Of those, 23 percent were strongly opposed.
Respondents ages 18 to 34 were more likely to be strongly supportive of legal cannabis sales than seniors, 59 percent to 29 percent, according to the March poll results. More liberals favored legalization, 73 percent, than conservatives, 36 percent. Those who told pollsters they have used marijuana favored legalization, 63 percent, compared to those who said they did not, 21 percent.
Most conservatives polled, 60 percent, and Republicans, 65 percent, said they do not believe that possession of small amounts of marijuana should result in jail time. The poll uncovered growing support for funding law enforcement with tax revenue from legal marijuana sales. In 2016, 8 percent of respondents said that should be the first priority; this year that number grew to 17 percent. In 2016, more than half of respondents said public education should be the highest priority; this year, 45 percent said so.
Told that the bill to legalize marijuana would impose restrictions on its use, production and sales, the number of respondents that “strongly support” legalization grew to 51 percent. In that scenario, support for legalization in general increased to 67 percent, while those opposed shrank to 27 percent.
Sales of legal marijuana to adults in New Mexico could yield $421 million in gross revenue the first year and $600 million by the fifth year, said Duke Rodriguez, president and CEO of Ultra Health. The bill Martinez said he intends to reintroduce in January would impose a 15 percent state gross receipts tax with a 5 percent local sales tax option. A similar bill failed in the most recent legislative session.
Martinez said his bill does more than permit personal use of marijuana by adults. “It also helps foster local economic development opportunities for small local companies, and it seeks to right the wrongs of the past,” he said, “primarily racial injustice when it comes to criminalization of users and those who possess cannabis.”
The growing poll uncovered support for funding law enforcement with tax revenue from legal marijuana sales. Fortyfive percent said public education should be the highest priority.