50% of Australians Support Legalizing Home Cannabis Cultivation

Among Australian voters, there is growing support for the decriminalization of cannabis and the legalization of its cultivation at home for personal use. A new study has found that 50% of Australians support the legalization of growing cannabis at home for personal use, 31% are opposed, and 19% are undecided.

A bill proposed to the New South Wales (NSW) parliament suggests legalizing the cultivation of up to six cannabis plants at home for personal use and sharing the plants with friends.

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YouGov Survey: Australian Opinions

Data from YouGov, collected in December from 1,555 participants, shows that 50% of Australians support the legalization of growing cannabis for personal use, 31% are opposed, and 19% are undecided. It was also found that 54% support the decriminalization of cannabis, 33% are against it, and 12% are undecided. The highest support for legalization is noted among Green Party voters and people under the age of 35.

Support Among Young Australians

Young Australians are more inclined to support legalization. Australians aged 18-24 were most likely to support both the cultivation bill and the decriminalization of cannabis. 63% stated they would vote for allowing the cultivation of up to six plants at home. This support decreases with age, with 54% of those aged 25-34 in favor, compared to 53% of those aged 25-49, 46% of those aged 50-65, and 44% of those aged 65 and older.

Decriminalization Across Age Groups

The idea of decriminalizing cannabis has taken hold across different age groups. 66% of those aged 18-24 supported the decriminalization of cannabis in their state. This plan was even more strongly supported by people aged 25-34 – 67%. 63% of those aged 35-49 supported the proposal, as did 54% of those aged 50-64.

People over the age of 65 were the only age group not to support this resolution, with only 31% in favor, while 55% were against.

The Bill and Its Implications

The survey asked for opinions on the bill, which was presented to the parliaments of three Australian states in the last week of 2023. The bill was jointly developed by the Cannabis Legalization Party, the Animal Justice Party, and the Green Party.

According to the proposal, NSW residents would have the right to possess up to 50g of cannabis for personal use, grow up to six plants at home, and share them with friends and family, provided there is no sale involved.

Jeremy Buckingham, a deputy supporting legalization, expressed hope that the reforms would lead to a reduction in the number of indigenous people “charged under drug laws considered racist.”

Government data revealed that indigenous people are 10 times more likely to interact with the police in relation to cannabis than non-indigenous residents. Between 2020-2022, the police detained 54,174 people for possessing cannabis, of which 19,232 were indigenous.

Conclusions from the YouGov Survey

Amir Daftari, Director of Surveys at YouGov, stated that the survey results show that the majority of Australian voters support both proposals, and the support is consistent across different states and age groups.

Amir Daftari, Director of Surveys at YouGov, said: “This experimental study shows that the majority of Australian voters support both proposals; 54% support the decriminalization of cannabis for personal use, and 50% support the legalization of growing cannabis for personal use.”

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(Featured image by Dan Freeman via Unsplash)

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