ResearchProjects

New marijuana legalization laws have led to the emerging presence of medicinal and retail outlets providing marijuana access at point-of-sale (MAP) for the first time in the history of the United States. Other new laws decriminalizing the possession and recreational use of marijuana are further expanding the availability and normative acceptability of marijuana in all settings. At the same time, there is a growing demand for electronically vaporized (Vape) drug delivery systems capable of reducing the physical harm associated with inhaling combusted smoke from tobacco or other drugs like marijuana. Combined, these new MAP and Vape product landscapes are reshaping the real and perceived physical and legal risks of marijuana consumption, just as access to marijuana is dramatically expanding. Virtually nothing is known about the separate and combined impact new decriminalization laws and these new product landscapes will have on patterns of marijuana use. The study collected community-level data and individual-level data to specifically isolate the impact of the emerging marijuana and vaporizer landscapes on emerging patterns of initiation among those who do not yet smoke marijuana.