Yes campaign garnered 48.4% of votes, while the no vote won 50.7%, meaning the referendum does not pass New Zealanders have voted not to legalise cannabis in a referendum that painted a portrait of a country starkly divided over drug policy. The yes vote for legalising cannabis finished with 48.4% of the vote, trailing the no vote on 50.7% - or just 67,662 votes out of 2.9m.