New Jersey residents prefer cannabis tax dollars go to health and education over policing
A representative survey of 1,006 New Jersey residents found more support for directing cannabis tax revenue toward public health, housing, and education than toward police or courts.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
More residents prioritized community-based initiatives in public health, housing, and education over funding for police, courts, and prisons when asked how cannabis tax revenue should be spent.
Key Numbers
1,006 respondents surveyed. Among Black residents, the largest share chose affordable housing investments. Political orientation was the most consistent predictor of preferences, with Republicans favoring traditional law enforcement funding.
How They Did This
Population-representative survey of 1,006 New Jersey adults conducted four months after recreational cannabis sales launched. Used multinomial logistic regression to assess how demographics and political orientation shaped funding preferences.
Why This Research Matters
As more states legalize recreational cannabis, how tax revenue gets allocated becomes a concrete policy question. Public opinion data can shape whether that money reinforces punitive enforcement or funds community investment.
The Bigger Picture
Cannabis legalization generates significant tax revenue, but the debate over how to spend it reflects deeper disagreements about criminal justice, public health priorities, and racial equity. These findings suggest the public leans toward reinvestment over enforcement.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Single-state survey taken shortly after sales began, so preferences may shift over time. Self-reported priorities may not translate to actual political action.
Questions This Raises
- ?Do preferences change as cannabis markets mature and revenue amounts become clearer?
- ?How do other states with longer legalization histories compare?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 1,006 NJ residents surveyed on cannabis tax spending priorities
- Evidence Grade:
- Population-representative survey with regression analysis, but cross-sectional and limited to one state.
- Study Age:
- 2024 study reflecting early post-legalization opinion in New Jersey.
- Original Title:
- Public opinion on the expenditure of adult-use cannabis tax revenue: Evidence from New Jersey.
- Published In:
- The International journal on drug policy, 125, 104334 (2024)
- Authors:
- Link, Nathan W, Hyatt, Jordan M, Powell, Kathleen
- Database ID:
- RTHC-05480
Evidence Hierarchy
Frequently Asked Questions
What did most New Jersey residents want cannabis tax money spent on?
The largest share preferred funding for public health, housing, and education over police, courts, or prisons.
Did preferences differ by race?
Yes. Among Black residents, the most popular choice was investment in affordable housing.
What factor most strongly predicted preferences?
Political orientation was the most consistent predictor. Republicans were more likely to favor law enforcement spending.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-05480APA
Link, Nathan W; Hyatt, Jordan M; Powell, Kathleen. (2024). Public opinion on the expenditure of adult-use cannabis tax revenue: Evidence from New Jersey.. The International journal on drug policy, 125, 104334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104334
MLA
Link, Nathan W, et al. "Public opinion on the expenditure of adult-use cannabis tax revenue: Evidence from New Jersey.." The International journal on drug policy, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104334
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Public opinion on the expenditure of adult-use cannabis tax ..." RTHC-05480. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/link-2024-public-opinion-on-the
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.