Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
submittedVersion
Publication Date
2-2022
Abstract
Legalizing marijuana for medical purposes is a longstanding debate. However, evidence of marijuana's health effects is limited, especially for young adults. We estimate the health impacts of medical marijuana laws (MML) in the U.S. among young adults aged 18–29 years using the difference-in-differences method and data from the Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System. We find that having MMLs with strict regulations generate health gains, but not in states with lax regulations. Our heterogeneity analysis results indicate that individuals with lower education attainments, with lower household income and without access to health insurance coverage gain more health benefits from MML with strict regulations than from MML with lax regulations. The findings suggest greater net health gains under strict controls concerning marijuana supply and access.
Keywords
marijuana legalization, medical marijuana, mental health, physical health, self-reported general health, young adults
Discipline
Behavioral Economics | Chemicals and Drugs
Research Areas
Applied Microeconomics
Publication
Health Economics
Volume
31
Issue
2
First Page
269
Last Page
283
ISSN
1057-9230
Identifier
10.1002/hec.4452
Publisher
Wiley
Citation
CHAY, Junxing and KIM, Seonghoon.
Heterogeneous health effects of medical marijuana legalization: Evidence from young adults in the United States. (2022). Health Economics. 31, (2), 269-283.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soe_research/2515
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.4452