Survey: Voters differ over reforms to cannabis laws

Press Release by Profiles of Bermuda

With cannabis reform very much topical, voters were asked about their preference for reform from a given number of statements. One-third of voters (33.8%) felt that people using small amounts of marijuana should not face legal punishment (or decriminalisation), while a similar amount (33.1%) felt that marijuana should be legalised as long as government regulated it. Just over one-quarter of voters (27.4%), however, felt that the current laws should remain as they are. Nearly 1 in 20 voters (3.9%) felt that marijuana should be legalised with no government regulation, while 1 in 50 (1.9%) were not sure.

Differences by Age

By age, younger voters, those between the ages of 18 and 34, were more likely to favour legalisation with government regulation (46.2%), while those aged between 35 and 54 were more inclined to favour decriminalisation (37.8%). Older voters (55 and over) were more likely to feel that current marijuana laws should remain the same (36.9%).

Differences by Race

More than half (52.1%) of those who classified themselves as “Other” (other than black or white) preferred legalisation with government regulation. More than 4 in 10 white voters (40.1%) also favoured legalisation with government regulation. In addition, one-third of white voters (33%) favoured decriminalisation. Just over one-third of black voters (35.3%) favoured decriminalisation, while more than 3 in 10 of them (31.5%) felt that the current laws should remain as they are.