New poll: Kiwis back euthanasia, support for legalising cannabis going up in smoke

Up in smoke: Just 37.9 per cent of respondents said they will vote yes to the proposition. Photo / File

Personal use of cannabis is likely to remain illegal according to latest poll numbers, as support for the bill continues to slip before the approaching referendum.

The latest Newshub Reid-Research poll showed just 37.9 per cent of responders saying they will vote yes to the proposition.

In just over two weeks, voters will have their say over a potential legal cannabis market; which would allow for special bars for consumption, special outlets and sales and strict rules for home-grown cannabis.

New Zealanders will be asked in the upcoming election whether they support the proposed Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill.

The referendum at the 2020 election will ask about support for the proposed Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill, which would include:

• Allowing products to be bought only in a licensed premises from a licensed and registered retailer, and banning online or remote sales,

• Banning the use of cannabis publicly, allowing it only in a special licensed premises or on private property,

• Controlling the potency of cannabis in available products,

• Introducing a legal purchase age of 20, and

• Banning advertising of cannabis products, and requiring products to carry health messages.

According to the Newshub Reid-Research poll, 50.5 per cent of responders say they will vote against the proposition, outweighing the 37.9 per cent saying they would vote yes.

Green party voters were most likely to support the proposed bill, (85.5 per cent voting yes), followed by Labour supporters (45.9 per cent yes), Newshub reported.

National voters are the most likely to be strongly opposed to the proposition, with 71.6 per cent of responders saying they will vote no.

Of those surveyed, 10.9 per cent said they didn't know how they would vote, and 0.8 per cent said they won't vote.

The results are in line with recent polling trends ahead of the upcoming election, with just 39 per cent of responders to an August survey saying they would vote yes.

In March, a Research New Zealand poll found 43 per cent of respondents were in favour of legalising cannabis, and 33 per cent opposed it, RNZ reported.

But at the end of August, that figures changed: with 39 per cent supporting the law change and 46 per cent of people against legalising recreational cannabis.

The Newshub Reid-Research poll also asked responders what box they will tick on the end of life choice bill come election day.

It found the bill would likely be passed were people to vote the same on October 17, with 61.6 per cent of respondents saying they would yes to the bill.

Meanwhile, 25.5 per cent of those surveyed said they would vote no, and 11.9 per cent said they didn't know.

Those numbers are just a drop below TVNZ's July poll, in which 63 per cent of respondents said they would vote in favour of the bill.

Twenty four per cent answered no, saying they wanted it to remain illegal, while the rest were unsure or said they wouldn't vote.