Poll: NJ Residents Support Legalization, Taxation, Regulation Of Recreational Marijuana
By David Madden
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (CBS) - A newly released poll suggests a majority of New Jersey residents would support the legalization of recreational marijuana, as long as it was taxed and regulated for use by adults only.
The Rutgers Eagleton Poll sought out the feelings of 860 adults statewide a couple of months ago.
The results: "58% of New Jerseyans are either strongly or somewhat supportive of legalizing marijuana, while 12% are somewhat opposed and 27% are strongly opposed," says poll director David Redlawsk.
But Redlawsk asked respondents just how committed they were to the idea:
"Though a clear majority support change, only 20% call legalization a 'very important' issue, while 45% say it's 'not very important'."
The rest -- 34% -- are in the middle.
Governor Chris Christie has often expressed his opposition to liberalizing New Jersey's marijuana laws, which now allow its use only under a doctor's prescription.