Recreational Marijuana Marketing and Young Adult Consumer Behavior

SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The past decade in the US marked pivotal changes in the policy and retail environments regarding marijuana (MJ), the
most commonly used federally illicit drug, particularly prevalent in young adults and racial and sexual/gender minorities
(SGM). Despite controversy regarding recreational MJ, further legalization is likely, and states will continue to navigate
its implementation. Thus, states with legalized recreational MJ provide an opportunity and a need to monitor recreational
MJ retail and impact on various subgroups, as MJ regulatory frameworks are in their infancy and require advancements
given the nuances of MJ retail (e.g., specialty stores, uniquely diverse products, progressive promotional strategies). The
overall goal of this research is to inform regulatory efforts to minimize MJ use in vulnerable populations, in states with
legalized recreational MJ and those that subsequently legalize it. The immediate objective of this proposal is to examine
the recreational MJ market, MJ use, and related perceptions in consumer segments of disproportionately-impacted groups,
particularly diverse young adults. Our scientific premise builds on literature indicating that licit drug retail marketing –
both brick-and-mortar and online – target certain populations (e.g., racial/ethnic minorities, SGM, young adults) and the
consequences of such marketing on substance use in these groups. The MJ retail has largely lacked standardized industry
marketing surveillance tools, which have been critical in establishing the impact of tobacco and alcohol retail marketing
and informing regulation. This proposal leverages our team’s prior work; we developed surveillance tools to characterize
point-of-sale practices (e.g., age verification), product availability, promotional strategies, and product pricing at brick-
and-mortar shops and online – now used broadly in research and practice. Findings indicated several issues with policy
compliance (e.g., age verification), promotional strategies appealing to young people and minorities, various health
claims, and minimal health warnings. Our team has also shown the utility of identifying young adults at high-risk for
substance use and likely marketing exposure by using industry market segmentation based on psychographics (e.g.,
values, attitudes, lifestyle); the extent to which psychographics vs. sociodemographics inform industry marketing
strategies, particularly among targeted populations, is not well known. Using a Socioecologic Framework and Diffusion
of Innovations, we aim to: 1) determine whether neighborhood demography is associated with marketing and POS
practices among recreational MJ retailers over time, accounting for policy context; and 2) compare young adult market
segments defined by age and minority status vs. psychographics in relation to MJ use, perceptions, access, and advertising
exposure in states with differing MJ policy contexts (recreational, medicinal, no legalized MJ policy) over time. Led by a
by uniquely-poised research team, this proposal is: a) responsive to NOT-DA-19-065 (public health research on
cannabis); b) based on a strong scientific premise and rationale; c) highly integrative across aims/data sources; and d)
based on rigorous methods integrating innovative applications. We include a robust dissemination plan involving
representatives from state/local agencies overseeing MJ retail implementation to speed research translation to practice.

Grant Number: 5R01DA054751-04
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Carla Berg