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Three-quarters of New Jerseyans Familiar With Proper Guidelines to Store and Dispose of Medications, Opioids and Edibles
A majority of New Jerseyans are at least “somewhat” familiar with storage and disposal of opioids and other medications, and less than 3 in 10 report that they or a loved one has been prescribed an opioid as pain medication in the past two years, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll collaboration with the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey.
Read MoreNew Jerseyans Are Divided On Whether Firearms Increase Protection From Intruders in the Home
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (April 17, 2024) – When it comes to firearms in the home, New Jerseyans are divided on how helpful they perceive them to be for protection compared to the risks they pose, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll in partnership with the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center. Thirty-two percent of residents polled in December 2023 think storing a firearm in one's home as a tool doesn’t lower the risk of an intruder coming in and hurting someone in their household, 18 percent think it only slightly lowers the risk, 20 percent think it moderately lowers the risk, and 25 percent think it greatly lowers the risk. Five percent are unsure.
Read MoreMajority of New Jerseyans Say Teachers Should Keep Transgender Students’ Identity Confidential as Matter of Safety
After much debate among politicians and parents alike over school privacy policies regarding transgender students in the fall, New Jerseyans believe teachers shouldn’t share a student’s transgender identity with their parents if the student doesn’t feel safe coming out, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll. Fifty-four percent say a teacher shouldn’t be required by law to inform a student’s parents about their transgender identity if a student confides such information to them and says they don’t feel safe coming out to their parents, according to the poll conducted in December.
Read MoreNew Jerseyans Are More Concerned About Books Being Banned Than Inappropriate Content; Aside from bans, majority of adults polled think laws against LGBTQ and race Issues in the classroom are politically driven
As debate over the “Freedom to Read” Act heats up, New Jersey has already taken sides, with a majority of adults in the state saying they are concerned about book bans and the political motivation behind it, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll. When polled in December and asked to choose which concerns them more about schools today, 58 percent of residents say they are more concerned that some schools may ban books and censor topics that are educationally important, while 35 percent say they are more concerned that some schools may teach books and topics that some students or their parents feel are inappropriate or offensive; 8 percent are unsure.
Read MoreHalf of New Jerseyans Oppose Electric Vehicles Mandate, See Environmental and Health Advantages but Economic Drawbacks
Half of New Jersey residents do not support plans to phase out the sale of new gas-powered vehicles completely by 2035, as announced by Gov. Murphy last November, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll. While those polled in December see the policy’s environmental and health benefits, they are concerned about the costs on both a state and personal level – and more than half say they would not be likely to buy an electric vehicle.
Read MoreMajority of New Jerseyans Feel Their Home Is Protected From Extreme Weather, but Are Concerned About Repair Costs and Foresee Upgrades
As extreme weather events become more common, New Jerseyans feel their homes are protected but are concerned they could be facing rising costs and believe upgrades will be needed in the future, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll. About three-quarters say their current housing is “very” (18 percent) or “somewhat” (57 percent) protected from extreme weather events such as hurricanes, major storms and flooding; 18 percent say their residence is “not very” protected, and 5 percent say “not at all.” Nevertheless, 7 in 10 say they feel either “very” (33 percent) or “somewhat” (36 percent) concerned about rising housing costs because of extreme weather events.
Read MoreNew Jerseyans’ Ratings of Where They Live and Neighborhood Safety Are Positive Overall, but Sharply Divided by Race, Ethnicity and Other Demographics
While New Jerseyans as a whole rate the quality of life in their local area positively and feel safe where they live, perceptions vary widely based on who you ask and where they are located, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.
Read MoreOutlook on New Jersey Is Stagnant as Quality of Life Falls Slightly; Rutgers-Eagleton Poll shows little movement on ratings for senate candidates; 2025 gubernatorial hopefuls remain largely unknown
It might be a new year, but not a whole lot has changed when it comes to New Jerseyans’ views of their state and politicians, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll. New Jerseyans’ outlook on the state has changed little in the past six months, continuing to trend more negative than positive. Forty-three percent say the state is headed in the right direction, while 47 percent say it is on the wrong track; 11 percent are unsure.
Read MoreMost New Jerseyans Unaware or Undecided About U.S. Senate Hopefuls Kim and Murphy
Most New Jerseyans don’t know much about U.S. Representative Andy Kim or New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy, who both plan to primary U.S. Senator Bob Menendez as he faces federal charges and calls to resign from office. Over two-thirds of New Jerseyans are either unsure or unaware about them at the moment, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.
Read MoreWhat’s Most Important to New Jersey Voters on Election Day? Taxes and the Economy, of Course.
Despite mudslinging and legislative battles throughout the Garden State echoing national culture wars, New Jersey voters still care most about taxes and the economy and say they will be the biggest factors in casting their ballots on Election Day, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll. What voters view as most important varies greatly, but a plurality – a combined 40 percent – volunteer something related to fiscal issues: 18 percent cite the economy, 16 percent say taxes, including property taxes, and six percent cite something about cost of living and affordability.
Read MoreNew Jersey Schools Get Mixed Marks on Performance, High Marks on Safety; Residents say guns and school shootings are the biggest safety issues facing public schools in their community
While New Jersey residents gave mixed reviews on their local schools based on where they live, most believe the schools are safe, even though guns and school shootings are the biggest safety concerns, according to a Rutgers-Eagleton Poll. The Poll was conducted toward the end of the 2022-2023 academic year in partnership with Project Ready, a nonprofit organization devoted to protecting and expanding high-quality education in urban communities in New Jersey.
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