A new survey by YouGov has found half of Australian voters polled support the legalisation of home grow for personal use, with even more in favour of decriminalisation.
Last year, Legalise Cannabis MPs in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia simultaneously introduced identical bills in a coordinated push to allow people to possess and cultivate up to six cannabis plants at home and share it with friends.
YouGov polled what it described as “a nationally politically representative sample” of 1,555 voters between December 1 and 5, 2023 for their views on those proposals, as well as the ACT’s decriminalisation model, and found Australian voters are more for than against.
While 50% of all those surveyed supported the Legalise Cannabis Party’s approach to home grow, only 31% were opposed, with 19% undecided.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, respondents aged 18 to 24 were the most supportive, with 63% saying they would vote in favour of the move in their state.
That figure fell to 54% of 25 to 34-year-olds, 53% of 35 to 49-year-olds, 46% of 50 to 64-year-olds, and 44% among those aged 65-plus.
Labor voters supported the bill by 50% to 26% against, with even Coalition voters in favour by 44% to 38% against. Meanwhile, Greens voters were the most supportive at 70%, with only 13% opposed.
YouGov also asked respondents for their views on the ACT approach to decriminalisation, with adults able to possess up to 50g of dried cannabis or 150g of fresh cannabis for personal use.
The overall result showed respondents to be even more positive, with 54% saying they would support similar legislation in their state, versus 33% against.
However, party lines were more clearly drawn, with Labor voters (62% to 24%) and Greens voters (74% to 8%) in favour, but the majority of Coalition supporters against (38% to 51%).
As with home grow, the ACT decriminalisation model fared better with younger voters, with 66% of 18 to 24-year-olds and 67% of 25 to 34-year-olds in favour, followed by 63% of 35 to 49-year-olds and 54% of 50 to 64-year-olds.
Those aged 65 and over were the only age group opposed to the move, with 31% in favour and 55% against.
Describing the findings as “good news” for cannabis campaigners, YouGov director of polling Amir Daftari said the survey showed majority support for both propositions “consistent across states and age groups”.
