A new statewide survey of Virginia voters finds that 60% support allowing the retail sale of recreational marijuana. The poll was released a day after the House General Laws Committee voted 19 to 2 to pass legislation that would allow licensed adult-use cannabis sales.
The poll, conducted January 13 through January 20 among 807 registered voters, comes as Virginia lawmakers convene for a new General Assembly session under newly sworn-in Governor Abigail Spanberger, with Democrats controlling both chambers and. Lawmakers are weighing a wide range of policy proposals, but the survey shows marijuana retail sales rank among the issues with some of the strongest bipartisan public backing.
Support for retail marijuana sales crosses party lines, but is strongest among Democrats. According to the survey, 74% of Democrats say they support allowing legal retail sales, compared to 59% of Independents and 38% of Republicans.
Age also plays a significant role in support levels. Among voters aged 18 to 44, support stands at 74%. That number drops to 48% among voters 45 and older, indicating a generational divide on the issue.
The findings are notable given that marijuana possession and personal use by adults is already legal in Virginia, but retail sales remain stalled due to legislative and executive disagreements in recent years. The survey suggests that a majority of voters are ready for the state to move beyond legalization of possession and into a regulated marketplace.
The marijuana question was part of a broader survey examining where Virginians stand on a variety of policy issues, including reproductive rights, minimum wage increases, paid leave programs, gun laws, data center regulations, and voting rights restoration.
The same survey found that 46% of Virginians believe the state is headed in the right direction, compared to 35% who believe it is headed in the wrong direction, while voters remain far more pessimistic about the direction of the country as a whole.
Governor Spanberger begins her term with 60% of Virginians saying they are optimistic about her leadership. With unified Democratic control of the legislature and majority public support for retail marijuana sales, the political environment surrounding the issue is markedly different than in recent years.
The poll’s margin of error is ±4.4%.
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