Majority Of North Dakotans Are Against Legal Weed, New Poll Finds

The signature gathering for a 2024 ballot measure petition to legalize recreational cannabis in North Dakota has been underway for over two months. However, a new poll shared some bad news: most voters don’t want legal weed.

More precisely, 57% of those asked said they oppose the recreational cannabis reform, while 43% are in favor, according to a survey of 500 likely voters completed by Opinion Strategies on behalf of the Brighter Future Alliance.

Under the measure, personal recreational marijuana use at home would be legal for those 21 and older. The measure also proposes setting up a regulatory framework for the production and processing of cannabis as well as prohibited uses.

The results of the poll are much like that from South Dakota that showed 52% of respondents are against the measure that would legalize adult-use cannabis, versus 42% who support it.

Read Also: North Dakota Lawmakers Say No To Cannabis Edibles, Here’s Why GOP-Led House Killed Two MMJ Bills

In June, New Economic Frontier, which is behind the push to legalize marijuana in North Dakota, said the campaign is on the verge of hitting the goal. "With 15,179 signatures collected so far, we are nearing our goal of 15,582 required signatures," the campaign said in a press release.

In a Facebook post last week, the New Economic Frontier seemed optimistic. "Thanks to the incredible support and enthusiasm of our community, we gathered hundreds of signatures, bringing us even closer to our goal of getting on the November ballot."

Still, the recent campaign's plea seeks to secure enough support to place the legalization measure on November's ballot.

"As we enter the home stretch of our signature drive, we encourage everyone who hasn't signed yet to find a signing location near you," the campaign said. "Please also encourage your friends and family to sign—this is the most impactful way you can support our movement right now!"

Previous efforts in 2018 and 2022 to legalize recreational cannabis in North Dakota failed. The deadline to submit the signatures is Monday, July 8.

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Cannabis rescheduling seems to be right around the corner. Want to understand what this means for the future of the industry? Hear directly for top executives, investors and policymakers at the 19th Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, coming to Chicago this Oct. 8-9. Get your tickets now before prices surge by following this link.