Most New Yorkers voters are against allowing people with prior marijuana convictions to get a head start in launching adult-use retail stores in the state, a new poll found just days after regulators approved a proposal to do just that.
The survey from Siena College shows that only 33 percent of New Yorkers favor “ensuring that many of the first licenses for marijuana retail stores go to those previously convicted of marijuana-related crimes or their family members,” compared to 54 percent who are opposed and 13 percent who said they aren’t sure.
It’s an interesting data point, as there’s generally widespread consensus among legalization advocates that those most impacted by cannabis criminalization should be specifically empowered to participate in the industry. But for New Yorkers, according to this poll, that shouldn’t necessarily mean that those who were directly impacted by prohibition should be first in line to open shops.
The crosstabs of the poll found that a plurality of Democrats (45 percent) believe those with marijuana convictions should be prioritized in licensing, versus 43 percent who oppose that proposal. Fifty percent who identify as “liberal” are supportive.
A majority of Republicans (72 percent) and self-identified conservatives (74 percent) say they
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