Can cannabis drinks be used to replace alcohol? This is what a recent study published in the Journal of Cannabis Research hopes to address as an international pair of researchers investigated a connection between cannabis sales and alcohol use, tobacco use, amphetamine, and other substances. This study has the potential to help researchers better understand the economic impact of cannabis and whether cannabis can positively contribute to gross domestic product (GDP).
For the study, the researchers analyzed panel data obtained from 20 nations, including 14 where cannabis is legal and 6 where cannabis is illegal. The goal of the study was to ascertain how cannabis sales influence the sales of other know products, including tobacco, alcohol, and amphetamine. Specifically, the researchers focused on changes in these sales since cannabis became legalized in some of those countries. In the end, the researchers found decreased use of tobacco and amphetamines compared to cannabis sales, along with increased use of medical cannabis (MC).
The study notes, “This study demonstrates that legalization is associated in long-term growth in MC sales, serving as a proxy for innovation output and underscoring the critical role of regulatory frameworks in shaping the MC market. The findings indicate that MC demand is not only influenced by economic factors but also by social attitudes and interactions with other substance use behaviors. The observed substitution effect with tobacco consumption suggests that as MC becomes more accessible, a portion of consumers may reduce tobacco use.”
This study comes as recreational cannabis is only legal in seven countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Uruguay, Georgia, South Africa, and Australia. Therefore, studies like this can demonstrate the positive impacts of cannabis on the sales of competing products after the former becomes legal.
How will cannabis sales impact the sales of other products in the coming years and decades? Only time will tell, and this is why we science!
As always, keep doing science & keep looking up!
Sources: Journal of Cannabis Research, Marijuana Moment
