The Effect of Marijuana Legalization on Anticipated Use: A Test of Deterrence Theory

Authors

  • Christine Arazan Northern Arizona University, USA
  • Michael Costelloe Northern Arizona University, USA
  • Tricia M. Hall Grand Canyon University, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4409.2015.04.18

Keywords:

legalization, marijuana, deterrence theory, college marijuana use, Monitoring the Future

Abstract

Marijuana is the most frequently used illicit drug in the world (Erickson, Van Der Maas, and Hathaway, 2013:428). Here in the United States, public support for the legalization of marijuana for recreational use is substantial. With public support, both Colorado and Washington passed state initiatives in 2012 to legalize recreational use of marijuana for individuals aged 21 years and older. Even the federal government has recently reversed their initial position to continue to enforce federal drug laws within these states. With what appears to be increasingly liberal attitudes toward marijuana use and even toward legalization, some are concerned about what this may mean for drug use in America. To many, it appears obvious that with changing attitudes and more lenient policies, use of marijuana will increase and in turn exacerbate a host of individual and societal problems that marijuana use is thought to cause. The primary focus of this study examines the first part of these concerns: to what extent will marijuana use increase with these policy changes? Specifically, this research looks at what extent current abstainers of marijuana might use if it were legalized.

References

Abiodun, P. Bamigboye and A.M. Afolayan. 2007. “Pattern of Marijuana Use among Male University Students: A Case Study.” Journal of Medical Science 7(6):1068-1072. http://dx.doi.org/10.3923/jms.2007.1068.1072

Andenaes, Johannes. 1966. “The General Preventive Effects of Punishment.” University of Pennsylvania Law Review, 114(7):949-983. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3310845

Bachman, Jerald G., Lloyd D. Johnston, and Patrick M. O’Malley. 1998. Explaining Recent Increases in Student’ Marijuana Use: Impacts of Perceived Risks and Disapproval, 1976 through 1996. American Journal of Public Health 88(6):887-892. http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.88.6.887

Beaudoin, Christopher E. and Traci Hong. 2012. “Media Use and Perceived Risk as Predictors of Marijuana Use.” American Journal of Health Behavior 36(1): 134-143. http://dx.doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.36.1.14

Boyum, David A., Jonathan P. Caulkins, and Mark A. R. Kleiman 2011. Drugs, Crime, and Public Policy. Crime and Public Policy. Oxford University Press: New York, New York.

Burkett, Steven R. and Eric L. Jensen. 1975. “Conventional Ties, Peer Influence, and the Fear of Apprehension: a Study of Adolescent Marijuana Use.” The Sociological Quarterly, 16 (4): 522-533. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-8525.1975.tb00966.x

Chiricos, Theodore G. And Gordon P. Waldo. 1970. “Punishment and Crime: An Examination of Some Empirical Evidence.” Social Problems, 18:200-217. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/799582

Cole, James M. 2013. Memorandum for All United States Attorneys: Guidance Regarding Marijuana Enforcement. Office of the Deputy Attorney General.

Dierker, Lisa, Marilyn Stolar, Elizabeth Lloyd-Richardson, Stephen Tiffany, Brian Flay, Linda Collins, Mimi Nichter, Mark Nichter, Steffani Bailey, Richard Clayton, and the Tobacco Etiology Research Network (TERN). 2008. “Tobacco, Alcohol, and Marijuana Use Among First-Year U.S. College Students: A Time Series Analysis.” Substance Use & Misuse, 43(5):680-699. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10826080701202684

Erickson, Patricia G., Mark Van Der Maas, and Andrew D. Hathaway. 2013. “Revisiting Deterrence: Legal Knowledge, Use Context, and Arrest Perception for Cannabis.” Czech Sociological Review, 49(3):427-448.

Ferner, Matt. 2012. “Gov. John Hickenlooper Opposed Legal Weed: ‘Colorado is Known for Many Great Things. Marijuana Should Not be One of Them.” The Huffington Post, September 12. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/12/ gov-john-hickenlooper-opp_n_1879248.html

Gibbs, Jack P. 1968. “Crime, Punishment and Deterrence.’ Southwestern Social Science Quarterly, 48:515-530.

Johnson, Gene. 2013. “Marijuana Legalization: Opponents Regroup Following Washington, Colorado Votes.” The Huffington Post, January, 9th. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost. com/2013/01/09/marijuana-legalization_n_2441903.html?

Johnston, Lloyd D., Patrick M. O’Malley, Jerald G. Bachman, and John E. Schulenberg. 2013. “Monitoring the Future: National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2012.”

Johnston, Lloyd D., Patrick M. O’Malley, Jerald G. Bachman, and John E. Schulenberg. 2010. “Monitoring the Future: National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2009:1-305.”

Keyes, Katherine M., John E. Schulenberg, Patrick M. O’Malley, Lloyd D. Johnston, Jeralg G. Bachman, Guohua Li, and Deborah Hasin. 2011. “The Social Norms Of Birth Cohorts and Adolescent Marijuana Use in The United States, 1976-2007.” Addiction 106(10):1790-1800. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03485.x

Kilmer, Jason R., Scott B. Hunt, Christine M. Lee, and Clayton Neighbors. 2007. “Marijuana Use, Risk Perception, and Consequences: Is Perceived Risk Congruent with Reality?” Addictive Behaviors, 32:3026-3033. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2007.07.009

Kohn, Paul M. and G.W. Mercer. 1971. “Drug Use, Drug-Use Attitudes, and the Authoritatianism-Rebellion Dimension.” Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 12: 125-131. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2948519

LaBrie, Joseph W., Justin F. Hummer, and Andrew Lac. 2011. “Comparing Injunctive Marijuana Use Norms of Salient Reference Groups Among College Student Marijuana Users And Nonusers.” Addictive Behaviors, 36: 717-720. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.addbeh.2011.02.004

MacCoun, Robert J. 1993. “Drugs and the Law: A Psychological Analysis of Drug Prohibition.” Psychological Bulletin, 113(3):497-512. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0033-2909.113.3.497

Reinarman, Craig, Peter D.A. Cohen, and Hendrien L. Kaal. 2004. “The Limited Relevance of Drug Policy: Cannabis in Amsterdam and in San Francisco.” American Journal of Public Health 94(5):836-842. http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.94.5.836

SIUC/Core Institute. 2012. “Core Alcohol and Drug Survey Long Form.” Retrieved from http://www.core.siuc.edu/ August 17, 2015.

Single, Eric W. 1989. “The Impact of Marijuana Decriminalization: An Update.” Journal of Public Health Policy, 10(4):456-466. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3342518

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 2012. Results from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings. NSDUH Series H-44, HHS Publication No. (SMA) 12-4713. Rockville, MD:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Retrieved from http://store.samhsa.gov/home August 1st, 2015.

Swift, Art. 2013. For First Time, Americans Favor Legalizing Marijuana. Gallup Politics. Retrieved from http://www.gallup. com/poll/165539/first-time-americans-favor-legalizing-marijuana.aspx

Terry-McElrath, Yvonne M., Patrick O’Malley, and Lloyd D. Johnston. 2008. “Saying No to Marijuana: Why American Youth Report Quitting or Abstaining.” Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 69(6): 796-805. http://dx.doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2008.69.796

Tittle, Charles R. 1969. “Crime Rates and Legal Sanctions.” Social Problems, 16:409-423. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/799950

Wadley, Jared. 2012. “‘Monitoring the Future’ Receives $35 Million to Continue for Another Five Years.” University of Michigan: Institute for Social Research. Retrieved from http://home.isr. umich.edu/releases/monitoring-the-future-receives-35-million-to-continue-for-another-five-years/

Waldo, Gordon P. And Theodore G. Chiricos. 1972. “Perceived Penal Sanction and Self-Reported Criminality: A Neglected Approach to Deterrence Research.” Social Problems, 19(4):522-540. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/799929

Walker, Samuel. 1994. “Sense and Nonsense about Crime and Drugs: A Policy Guide.” 3rd edition. Wadsworth Publishing Company: Belmont, California.

Wing, Nick. 2013. “Jimmy Carter Comes Out Against Marijuana Legalization, Wants to ‘Discourage’ Use Of Pot.” The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost. com/2013/05/17/jimmy-carter-marijuana-legalization_n_3293861.html

Downloads

Published

2015-09-02

How to Cite

Arazan, C., Costelloe, M., & Hall, T. M. (2015). The Effect of Marijuana Legalization on Anticipated Use: A Test of Deterrence Theory. International Journal of Criminology and Sociology, 4, 181–191. https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4409.2015.04.18

Issue

Section

Articles