A recent survey conducted by the medical marijuana telehealth platform NuggMD indicates that many cannabis users are ready to significantly shape the 2024 election, cutting across political lines.
The poll showed President Joe Biden outpacing former President Donald Trump among people who use cannabis regularly, a voting block of some 35 million nationwide.
When asked whether a presidential candidate’s endorsement of pro-cannabis policies would increase their likelihood of voting for that candidate, 59% of the respondents replied “Yes, this would make me more likely to vote for that candidate regardless of their party.” Only 14% of respondents said they intended to vote for their party or candidate of choice.
Pro-Cannabis Policies Move Voters
Deb Tharp, head of legal and policy research at NuggMD, stressed the transformative potential of embracing pro-cannabis policies, noting that such measures could attract voters from across the political spectrum. “This poll shows that adopting pro-cannabis policies can move more constituents into either party’s camp. This is a large voting population we’re talking about, and its demographics are changing quickly.”
That said, the survey indicated a clear preference, 43%, among cannabis users for Biden compared to 36% for Trump. The survey noted that Democrats were perceived as having better cannabis policy ideas, garnering support from 56% of respondents.
Despite this support for pro-cannabis candidates and policies, the survey underscored a sense of dissatisfaction with both major political parties regarding cannabis reform. Nearly 40% of respondents said they believed Democrats aimed to suppress the legal use of cannabis, while a substantial 68% held the same views about Republicans.
The survey also shed light on the importance of understanding cannabis culture in shaping effective legislation. A striking 88% of respondents emphasized the necessity of this understanding, yet 73% felt that elected officials lack it.
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Opportunity For Democrats: Will They Take It?
The survey suggests an opportunity for Democratic candidates to capitalize on the support of the cannabis community by championing reform.
Tharp stressed the potential impact of this constituency, particularly in states like Florida where the Supreme Court recently approved the placement of a cannabis legalization amendment on the November ballot. With nearly two million voting-age Floridians using cannabis regularly, their turnout could significantly influence the outcome. Trump has said he is not fond of cannabis legalization ballot initiatives because they tend to boost Democratic turnout.
NuggMD conducted the digital poll from March 25 to April 3, contacting over 53,000 individuals. The survey’s margin of error stood at 3.89%, with a confidence level of 95%. Six swing states were over-indexed to enhance the poll’s electoral relevance.
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