Vermont Voters Support Treating Drug Addiction as a Health Issue and Decriminalizing Simple Possession
By Anika Dandekar, Evangel Penumaka, and Tenneth Fairclough II
Introduction
In Vermont, state lawmakers have proposed a bill that would decriminalize drug possession. The bill proposes to change penalties for possession of certain amounts of drugs from a criminal offense to a civil one. Individuals would also be directed toward addiction recovery and health treatment services.
A recent survey of 547 likely voters in Vermont conducted by Data for Progress and the Drug Policy Alliance examined voter attitudes on how to approach drug use in Vermont, as well as support for the proposed legislation that would change the way the state addresses drug possession. We find voters strongly support removing criminal penalties for drug possession and, instead, support other approaches for directing individuals toward addiction treatment services. Voters would also be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports eliminating criminal penalties for certain drug charges. Lastly, Vermont voters support several other policies that would address drug use, addiction, and overdose, such as creating non-police crisis-response teams and opening overdose prevention centers in the state.
Voters Personal Experience and Attitudes Toward Drug Use
We asked voters in Vermont whether they have any personal experience dealing with drug addiction or if someone close to them has experienced addiction or drug overdoses. We find that half of respondents have some personal experience dealing with a drug addiction or know someone close to them who has experienced this. We find that this experience is shared across partisanship. A majority of both Democrats and Republicans (52 percent and 56 percent, respectively) indicate either experiencing drug addiction or knowing someone close to them who has. A plurality of Independents (46 percent) also indicate that they or someone close to them has experienced drug addiction.
We also asked voters if drug addiction should be treated as a health issue through health and recovery services, or if they believe that it is a criminal issue that needs to be addressed through arrests and incarceration. We find that more than three-quarters (81 percent) of all likely voters believe that drug use should be reframed as a health issue, with the focus on reducing the harms of addiction and offering health and recovery services. We also find immense agreement that drug use should be treated as a health issue among Democrats (91 percent agree) and Independents (84 percent agree). Furthermore, we find that nearly two-thirds of Republicans (59 percent) agree with this sentiment as well.
Policy Support and Messaging Results
Next, we asked voters whether they support or oppose a policy that would change the way their state handles drug possession and usage. Instead of being arrested, jailed, and subjected to criminal penalties, individuals found in possession would be given a civil fine and be directed toward services like addiction treatment and healthcare. We find that 84 percent of likely voters support this proposal, with a +69-point margin. We also find strong support for this proposal across partisanship: Democrats and Independents back it with 91 percent and 87 percent, respectively, while Republican voters support the proposal by a +36-point margin (68 percent support, 32 percent oppose).
We also asked voters whether they would vote for a candidate who supports eliminating criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of drugs in their state. By a +44-point margin, likely voters say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports this position (65 percent more likely, 21 percent less likely). We find enthusiastic levels of support from Democrats (85 percent) and Independents (65 percent) for such a candidate. About one third of Republicans would vote for a candidate who supports this position.
Voters Support Broader Policies to Address Drug Use
Lastly, we asked voters whether they would support or oppose a few other policies that are being proposed to address drug use, addiction, and overdose in the state. The policies include creating non-police crisis-response teams, removing criminal records for drug possession, and opening overdose prevention centers. A majority of voters support all three policies: They back creating non-police crisis-response teams by a +41-point margin, removing criminal records for drug possession by a +29-point margin, and opening overdose prevention centers in their state by a +27-point margin.
Conclusion
Our poll shows that Vermont voters strongly support changing how the state approaches drug use. Voters are not only personally impacted by addiction and overdoses, but support more humane approaches to drug use, such as directing individuals toward recovery and treatment, rather than continuing cycles of arrests, incarceration, stigmatization, and marginalization. Voters are also receptive to voting for candidates who would prioritize this type of approach to drug use. Vermont lawmakers should continue to advocate for decriminalization policies and measures, which have the backing of their voters.
Anika Dandekar (@anikadandekar) is a polling analyst at Data for Progress.
Evangel Penumaka (@evangelpenumaka) is a senior analyst at Data for Progress
Tenneth Fairclough II (@tenten_wins) is a polling analyst at Data for Progress