New Study Examines Marijuana Consumer Opinions

Year-Long Qualitative Research Study Provides In-Depth Insights

Boston, Mass. – Today, leading drug policy think tank Parabola Center for Law and Policy released the study, “I Like Not Having to Go Behind the Dumpster at a Taco Bell: Consumer Perspectives in States with Established Cannabis Markets.” The study is one of the first qualitative research reports that asks consumers directly about their perspectives and experiences with legalization.

There has been much speculation about cannabis consumers with Question 8 (repealing cannabis sales) on the ballot this November in Massachusetts. This study reports what happens when you actually ask them. The report examines perceived positive impacts, concerns, and recommendations gained from 37 in-depth interviews across nine states, the upper end of typical sample sizes in research of its type.

“As we examined cannabis consumers’ perspectives, we found that participants demonstrated a nuanced understanding of legalization policies,” said Dr. Faith English, public health researcher at Parabola Center and postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University. “We hope that by publishing these insights, we can encourage informed voting and policymaking that seeks to understand cannabis consumers rather than stereotyping them.”

In Their Own Words

The interviews yielded insights on legalization’s benefits, limitations, and recommendations. Some examples:

An appreciation for increased safety and harm reduction (“It’s very safe. I know that it’s not gonna be laced with anything”).
Concerns about the increased presence of cannabis in public spaces (“You see and smell people smoking while they’re driving way more frequently . . . that still worries me”).
Recommendations for greater transparency around use of tax revenue (“So it’s like, where is the tax money that was supposed to be going towards the schools?”).

“In-depth interviews allow us to capture important contextual information as well as experiences of smaller or underrepresented populations that might otherwise be missed by polls and other quantitative methods,” said Meredith McGee, MPH, who co-authored the study.

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Parabola Center is a nonprofit of legal, public health, and policy professionals coming together to put people over profits. Through research and education, we provide everyone with the tools and expertise to shape emerging fields, from marijuana to artificial intelligence. Our public health team recently won a $50,000 Seed Funding grant from the Cannabis Research Institute at University of Illinois.