Utah Inches Toward Cannabis Reform as Poll Shows 52% Support Legalisation

A new poll shows a narrow but growing majority of Utah voters are warming up to the idea of legalising recreational cannabis — a notable shift in a traditionally conservative state. Support now sits at 52%, according to research by Noble Predictive Insights.

That number might not seem overwhelming, but in Utah, where resistance to cannabis has long been strong, it’s catching people’s attention — especially those deeply invested in the state’s medical cannabis program.

Medical advocates urge caution despite rising support

The poll was commissioned by Keep Utah Medical, a group that doesn’t want to see Utah go the way of Colorado or California just yet. They’re not anti-cannabis — far from it. But they’re worried that jumping to full legalization could jeopardize the progress made since the state’s medical cannabis program was approved by voters in 2018.

Alex Iorg, one of the group’s members and a co-founder of Wholesome Co., a medical cannabis company, sees the writing on the wall. He told FOX 13 News that while recreational cannabis doesn’t seem to have unstoppable momentum just yet, ignoring patient needs could tip the balance.

“If we don’t start looking at ways to improve our medical program, if we don’t make it easier for patients to access medical cannabis here in our state, it will happen eventually,” Iorg said. “It’s happened in every state around us.”

That’s a big statement. Utah is now surrounded by states that have either fully legalized cannabis or have active initiatives to do so. Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico already have recreational laws in place.

Voter sentiment is shifting, slowly but clearly

Back in October, Noble Predictive Insights found an even 50-50 split on adult-use legalization. That 2% bump since then might seem minor, but in political polling, especially with a margin of error of ±3.97%, it’s enough to raise eyebrows — and strategy meetings.

The 609 registered voters surveyed earlier this month paint a picture of a state on the fence, but with one foot now leaning into a new direction. Just like in 2018, when 53% of Utahns voted to legalise medical marijuana, the numbers are nearly identical now for recreational use.

There’s something else that’s hard to ignore: the consistency. The state seems to have a pretty stable threshold for cannabis support, hovering right above that 50% mark.

One-sentence paragraph here, just to let it breathe.

Compare that to 2018 — it took a coordinated campaign, national attention, and significant grassroots efforts to nudge Utah past the line for medical cannabis. Now? The momentum is building more organically.

Here’s what Utahns actually said

While the full poll data hasn’t been released publicly, here’s a breakdown of what we do know from the Noble Predictive Insights research:

• 52% of respondents said they’d vote “yes” on a recreational cannabis initiative

• 45% were opposed

• 3% were undecided

It’s worth noting that while the support is narrow, it’s also statistically significant. With a nearly 4% margin of error, the outcome is still in that shaky middle ground — not a landslide, but also not a blip.

That indecisiveness could make or break any future ballot initiative. One misstep, one viral ad, one scandal — it can all shift 2% of voters.

Here’s a quick look at how public opinion has moved in Utah over recent years:

For a state that’s known for slow, deliberate change, this kind of consistency means something.

What could come next? It’s complicated.

A full push for legalization in Utah would require a citizen-led ballot initiative — and that’s no easy feat. Organisers need to collect more than 134,000 valid signatures spread across at least 26 of Utah’s 29 senate districts. It’s expensive, time-consuming, and often met with stiff resistance.

And even if the measure makes it onto the ballot, it still needs to pass — meaning those undecided voters and soft “yes” voters could be crucial.

Then there’s the legislative wild card. Utah lawmakers could try to intervene, as they did after the 2018 vote by passing a compromise bill that replaced the original initiative. That move sparked backlash and litigation.

But the situation now is different. More people are familiar with cannabis. More families have seen loved ones benefit from the medical program. The “reefer madness” stigma isn’t gone, but it’s been chipped away.

Still, Keep Utah Medical and others want the state to pump the brakes.

A fine line between access and expansion

At the heart of the debate is how to maintain access for patients without opening the door to misuse or over-commercialization. Keep Utah Medical believes the current medical system needs work — but scrapping it in favour of adult-use laws could derail hard-won progress.

Some fear recreational legalization would make it harder for patients to get what they need. Others worry it could flood the market, reduce oversight, and introduce the kinds of corporate interests that have soured public opinion in other states.

But there’s another argument: that keeping cannabis illegal for adults is hurting the very patients the law was meant to help. Stories of patients unable to find providers, facing travel burdens, or paying steep prices aren’t rare.

“I’m not convinced that we’ve done everything we can to make medical work better yet,” one Salt Lake County voter told us. “But if they don’t fix it soon, yeah, I’d vote for legalization. People are tired of waiting.”