Poll: Most New Yorkers Want Local Opt-Out Options for Cannabis Industry

A majority of New Yorkers, 61%, say municipalities should have the right to opt-out of allowing adult-use cannabis operations, with 52% of New York City residents saying they would oppose the industry in their neighborhood, according to a Consensus Strategies survey published Wednesday.

Another 53% of respondents indicated cannabis retail should keep a low profile and be located outside of highly visible areas. More than half of Black respondents (53%), Hispanic respondents (61%), and those over 50-year-old (62%) indicated opposition to cultivation facilities in their neighborhoods.

Respondents were split between whether to include social equity provisions as part of the legal cannabis licensing process, with 51% supporting such permits, and a clean 50/50 split on allowing individuals with cannabis-related convictions from owning or operating an adult-use business. Although 59% supported directing a portion of cannabis tax revenue to minority communities that were disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs.

More than one in four New Yorkers that support cannabis legalization (27%) said they wouldn’t shop at a licensed retailer, while 13% of those opposed to the reforms said they are likely to become a customer.

Individuals aged 18-34 strongly supported home cultivation – 78% – while the survey found overall support for home growing at 52%.

The survey comes as Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D) said on Tuesday that lawmakers are “extremely close” to approving a legalization bill outside of the budget process, according to the Daily News. Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) had included the reforms as part of his 2022 budget and State of the State address.