41 percent of N.J. voters favor legalizing pot, poll finds

A new Fairleigh Dickinson PublicMind poll finds that New Jersey voters have a more favorable view about the legalization of marijuana than they do about online gambling.

 

Just over 40 percent of registered voters surveyed said they support the proposal to legalize small amounts of marijuana for recreational use. Meanwhile, only 32 percent said they approve of Internet gambling, which became legal in the Garden State this year.

Voter support for online gaming is actually lower now than a year ago, according to poll director Krista Jenkins.

“People are now starting to see advertisements and whatnot for behavior that was once illegal,” Jenkins said. “So it might be jarring for some people perhaps, and that might be why we’re seeing some slippage.”

Voters’ opinions about legalizing marijuana are connected to their experience with it, she said; 62 percent of past users support legalization compared with only 25 percent of those who have never used it.