Politics

Minnesotans’ cannabis use and views on legalization

Detailed findings from the September 2024 Minnesota Poll

 

Event-goer lights up Saturday, July 13, 2024 during the Northern Haze Cannabis Festival outside of Bent Paddle Brewing Co. in Duluth, Minn. The festival allowed event-goers to bring their own cannabis and had a designated consumption area, Photo by Erica Dischino | MPR News.

by ALYSON CLARY | Sept. 25, 2024

In partnership with Minnesota Public Radio News, the APM Research Lab analyzed the results of a statewide poll of likely voters in Minnesota. The “Minnesota Poll” was conducted Sept. 16-18, 2024 by Mason Dixon Polling and Strategy, on behalf of MPR News, the Minnesota Star Tribune and KARE11. Click here for additional background on the poll’s methodology.

Minnesotans’ cannabis usage in past month

According to a new MPR|Star Tribune|KARE11 Minnesota Poll, only 14% of Minnesotans who are likely to vote in November have consumed marijuana or other hemp-derived THC products, which are now legal in the state, in the last month.

Eighty-five percent of likely Minnesota voters report they have not consumed marijuana or other THC products recently. One percent of likely voters refused to answer the question.

A greater percentage of likely Minnesota voters who are affiliated with the DFL or are political independents report having recently consumed cannabis than likely Republican voters, 18% each compared to six percent.

Nine percent of likely Minnesota voters age 65 or older report consuming cannabis in the last month, while 19% of likely voters between the ages of 18 and 34 report recent cannabis consumption. This difference is outside of the margin of error.

Given the margin of error associated with the poll findings, the minor differences in usages between other large groups of Minnesota voters — men and women; white versus Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) voters; those with and without college degrees; and those living in different parts of the state —- are not statistically meaningful. The percent using cannabis or other legal THC products among all of those groups is similar according to this poll.

Nationwide legalization

A solid majority of likely Minnesota voters, 61%, support legalizing the use of recreational cannabis nationwide, according to the poll. Thirty-four percent of likely Minnesota voters oppose nationwide cannabis legalization, while five percent are not sure where they stand on the issue.

Strong majorities of likely voters who self-identify as either Democrats or as politically independent support nationwide legalization of recreational marijuana for adults, 80% and 63% respectively, compared to 38% of likely Republican voters.

A majority of likely Republican voters in Minnesota, 57%, oppose legalizing recreational cannabis for adults nationwide.

Aside from Republicans, majorities of all other groups of likely voters that we assessed in this poll support legalizing recreational marijuana nationwide. Support is particularly strong among those residing in Hennepin or Ramsey counties, but it is also somewhat higher among women, those age 18 to 34, BIPOC voters, and those with a four-year college degree.

Attitudes toward nationwide cannabis legalization by recent usage

Nearly all likely voters who have recently used marijuana or THC products, 90%, support legalizing recreational marijuana nationwide. Additionally, marijuana legalization is also supported by a majority of those who report they have not recently used.

Thirty-eight percent of poll respondents who have not recently consumed cannabis oppose legalizing cannabis nationwide. Notably, seven percent of respondents who reported recent cannabis use oppose legalizing it nationwide.

Sept. 2024 Minnesota Poll: Methods

Thoughts? Questions?

We want to hear from you! Leave us a message below.