A new poll finds that six in 10 Minnesotans support federal marijuana legalization, even though they say they haven't used the drug recently.
According to a Star Tribune/MPR News/KARE 11 Minnesota poll, 61% of respondents support nationwide legalization of marijuana for recreational use by adults, while 34% are opposed. Majorities of Democrats and independents support federal legalization, while a majority of Republicans are opposed.
“I think Prohibition in this country has done a lot of harm,” said Michael Kraus, a 70-year-old retiree from St. Louis Park who believes marijuana should be treated the same as alcohol. “I'm not a fan of marijuana or any other drug, but trying to stop people from getting it hasn't worked. It just ends up criminalizing people who shouldn't necessarily be criminalized.”
Support for federal marijuana legalization varies by region, with 72% of voters in Hennepin and Ramsey counties in favor, compared to just 53% in northern Minnesota.
The poll's findings are based on interviews with 800 Minnesota voters conducted Sept. 16-18. The poll's margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
(Scroll to the end of this article for complete results on each question. For the polling methodology, demographic breakdown of the sample, and a map of polling areas, click here.)
This is the first time the Star Tribune has conducted a poll on federal marijuana legalization and personal use. The 2022 Star Tribune/MPR News/KARE 11 Poll found that 53% of voters support legalizing recreational marijuana in Minnesota.
Minnesota legalized recreational marijuana for adults 21 and over the next year, with retail stores slated to open sometime in 2025. The state already has a robust market for hemp-derived foods and beverages that adults can purchase from hemp shops, liquor stores, bars and breweries.
