Oklahoma Voters Split on Legalizing Recreational Marijuana

In 2018, Oklahoma voters approved a ballot measure to legalize medical cannabis, somewhat loosely defined, by a fairly comfortable margin (57 percent voting “yes”). Since then, the Sooner State has been home to booming business for the medical marijuana industry, with roughly one in twenty Oklahomans having acquired a medical license and dispensaries popping up at a rapid clip.

Still, our December statewide poll shows that voters are not yet ready to embrace the legalization of fully “recreational” marijuana. Our survey shows that 47 percent of registered voters statewide oppose legalizing recreational marijuana, whereas 44 percent support it. 

Support for the measure is driven by two main factors: partisanship and age. While a majority (54 percent) of both Democrats and independents support legalizing recreational marijuana, only one-third of Republicans feel the same. Younger voters (18-29 years old) overwhelmingly favor legalization with 61 percent in support. That support drops off consistently as voters age, fading to 43 percent for those 40-49 years old and just 29 percent those over 70.

It should be noted that our poll uses what we believe to be the most commonly understood terminology – “recreational marijuana” – to describe what may become an Oklahoma ballot initiative. Proponents prefer “adult use” to emphasize a prohibition on underage users and the inclusion of medical cannabis within a broader legalization framework. It is possible that framing the issue in that regard could change the poll numbers or even the outcome of any future state question.

Still, our poll suggests that attitudes about marijuana use have not changed as much in Oklahoma as the half-dozen cannabis dispensaries on your block may suggest!

This survey was conducted from December 4-6, 2019 and included a pool of 500 registered Oklahoma voters. These survey results were weighted based on age, gender, party affiliation, and level of education. This survey has a margin of error of 4.38% at a 95% confidence interval. The poll surveyed both cell phones and landlines and used a combination of live callers and an online panel of registered voters.