WMUR Poll: Support for legalization, decriminalization of marijuana grows

Granite Staters want to be able to light up with little or no penalties

A new WMUR Granite State Poll shows decriminalization and legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes are popular in New Hampshire. 

By John DiStaso
DURHAM, N.H. —Granite Staters continue to overwhelmingly support both the decriminalization of marijuana possession as well as its legalization for recreational use, according to a new poll.
In the latest WMUR Granite State Poll, released Thursday, 60 percent of Granite Staters support legalization of marijuana for recreational use, and 45 percent strongly support it. Also, 72 percent of those polled favor decriminalization of marijuana, including 54 percent who feel strongly about it.

Support for both legalization and decriminalization has increased sharply since a WMUR Granite State Poll in May. At that point, 54 percent favored legalization and 63 percent favored decriminalization.
The new poll was conducted July 7-20 by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, which surveyed 532 New Hampshire adults. The margin of error for the survey is plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.

The poll also found that if marijuana was legalized, 70 percent of New Hampshire residents approve of selling it at licensed retail outlets and taxing it, similar to the way alcohol is sold. Only 27 percent disapproved of that process.
The New Hampshire House earlier this year overwhelmingly passed a marijuana decriminalization bill, which put the penalty for possession of small amounts of the substance on par with a minor traffic violation. But the bill was tabled by the state Senate. The House approved a legalization bill in 2014, but it failed in the state Senate.

Support for legalization is generally split along party lines. Democrats favor legalization, 67 percent to 28 percent, while Republicans are in favor of it by the much closer margin of 49 percent to 44 percent. Independents favor legalization 67 percent to 29 percent.
Support for decriminalization, however, is strong across the political spectrum. Democrats favor it 82 percent to 13 percent, while Republicans favor it 59 percent to 34 percent. Independents are also strongly in favor, 77 percent to 19 percent.

Granite Staters apparently do not connect marijuana to the misuse and abuse of stronger drugs. A WMUR Granite State Poll earlier this week showed New Hampshire residents believe drug abuse is now a serious issue the state, second in importance to jobs and the economy.