In this Aug. 15, 2019, file photo, marijuana grows at an indoor cannabis farm in Gardena, Calif.
Two area universities came out with polls Thursday on several hot topics in the news.
The Elon University Poll on Thursday released results of a survey asking about marijuana legalization. The High Point University Poll also put out results Thursday from its most recent political survey.
Here's a closer look at each poll:
Marijuana legalization: The Elon Poll said it found increased support for legalizing marijuana for recreational use.
The poll released Thursday found that 54 percent of North Carolina adults support the legalization of the drug for casual use and only 34 percent oppose it. That's a significant swing from the 2017 Elon Poll in which 51 percent of those were against legalizing marijuana for recreational use.
Public support for legalizing marijuana for medical purposes in North Carolina remains strong: 73 percent are in favor, according to Thursday's Elon Poll, and nearly 80 percent supported it in 2017.
Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed said they are OK with reducing state penalties for marijuana offenses, including possession.
Click here to read the latest Elon Poll.
President Joe Biden's programs: A HPU Poll out Thursday found that a majority of N.C. residents — 56 percent — said they think President Joe Biden will succeed in getting his programs passed into law.
Slightly more than half (52 percent) approve of Biden's policies and future plans, while a third are opposed.
Gov. Roy Cooper had similar numbers in Thursday's HPU Poll: 49 percent approve of the governor's policies, and 26 percent don't like them.
Click here to read more about these poll results.
Political approval ratings: The HPU Poll came out Tuesday with a survey that found slight majority support for both Biden and Cooper.
Fifty-one percent of N.C. residents said they approve of Biden's performance as president, a job he has held for about three weeks. Thirty-two percent disapprove.
Support for Cooper, now in his second term as governor, stood at 52 percent. Thirty-one percent disapprove.
The HPU Poll also asked about N.C. residents if they have favorable or unfavorable positions toward several state and national politicians and whether they think the nation is on the right or wrong track. Click here to read more about this HPU Poll, and click here for more detailed data on both of this week's HPU Polls.
