2024 Election & Cannabis: Swing State Voters Back Legalization, New Poll Reveals

As the 2024 election heats up, a recent poll by Ragnar Research highlights a robust endorsement for cannabis legalization among voters in the key swing states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. According to the survey, an overwhelming 84% support medical marijuana, while 62% favor legalization for adult-use.

The poll, conducted in late August and published Saturday, sampled 1,000 likely voters and shows cannabis reform has become a central issue in those swing states. Both medical and recreational marijuana initiatives received broad bipartisan support, with even persuadable voters largely in favor of legalizing cannabis.

Notably, the survey also underscores a growing demand for policy modernization, with voters increasingly viewing cannabis as an economic opportunity and a tool to reduce healthcare costs​.

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Trump's Shift On Cannabis Sparks Harris Criticism

The political stakes surrounding cannabis reform are rising as both campaigns weigh in on the issue. Former President Donald Trump recently expressed support for Florida's Amendment 3, which would legalize cannabis in the state. However, Trump’s move quickly met with criticism from VP Kamala Harris' campaign, which called it a “brazen flip-flop” given Trump's previous harsh stance on drug policy during his presidency​.

ACLU Backs Harris’s Criminal Justice Agenda

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has also voiced its opinion. In a Friday blog post, the nonprofit human rights organization expressed support for Harris’s potential role in reforming the U.S. legal system regarding cannabis, which disproportionately affects Black and Brown communities. The ACLU highlighted that if elected, Harris would likely continue advocating for legislation like the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, aimed at decriminalizing cannabis at the federal level.

Cynthia W. Roseberry, ACLU director of policy and government affairs, stated: "The ACLU will demand that Harris recommit to the legislative agenda that she championed as a senator. But Harris cannot wait on Congress to act: She must use her executive authority to end extreme sentencing, halt federal executions and vastly expand the number of people granted clemency. The ACLU will continue to fight for a criminal legal system that is humane and just."

As both campaigns intensify their competition for support, cannabis legalization appears to be a decisive factor in winning over swing-state voters.

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