Majority Of South Dakotans Are Against Recreational Cannabis Legalization, New Poll Finds
The majority of South Dakotans are against legalizing recreational use in the state, a new poll reveals.
According to a statewide survey, sponsored by the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota and co-sponsored by South Dakota News Watch, 52% of respondents are against the measure legalizing adult-use cannabis, versus 42% who support it. The poll questioned 500 registered voters, and some 7% remain undetermined, writes Dakota News Now.
The poll results come about two weeks after Secretary of State Monae Johnson‘s office officially validated a measure for the November general election ballot that will allow South Dakotans to decide on cannabis legalization for the third time.
Previous efforts to legalize recreational marijuana in the state fell short, with one of those occasions being due to a violation of the single-subject rule. In the Nov. 2020 elections, South Dakota managed to garner some 54% support for legalization, however, the measure was declared unconstitutional.
Then in Nov. 2022, South Dakotans voted against Senate 3 bill that would have legalized adult-use cannabis. The rate of opposition in the newest poll appears consistent with a measure’s defeat in 2022, while the level of support seems to have notably dropped.
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