Allison M. Glasser , Andrea C. Villanti , Daniel A. Gundersen , Kevin R.J. Schroth , Mary Hrywna
{"title":"Relationship between an adult-use Cannabis law and Cannabis use by type in a cohort of New Jersey young adults","authors":"Allison M. Glasser , Andrea C. Villanti , Daniel A. Gundersen , Kevin R.J. Schroth , Mary Hrywna","doi":"10.1016/j.ypmed.2025.108354","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Limited research has evaluated the impact of cannabis policies on young adult cannabis use, after full implementation (retail outlets opened), nor on cannabis product type. This study examined the relationship between adult-use cannabis retail sales in New Jersey (United States) and young adult cannabis use by type.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Data on New Jersey young adults (18–23 years) were from the Policy Communication and Evaluation (PACE) New Jersey Study. Generalized estimating equations models estimated differences in prevalence of ever and past 30-day use of cannabis and sub-types before (Waves 1–3 [March–November 2021], <em>n</em> = 1439) and after (Wave 4 [June–July 2022], <em>n</em> = 1127) adult-use retail sales began.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Ever cannabis use among New Jersey young adults was higher in the post-retail sales period than pre-sales (58.1 % vs. 48.9 %, <em>p</em> < 0.01). The odds of ever cannabis use were 42 % higher (95 % CI = 32 %–54 %) in the post-retail period. Ever use of dried herb (post vs. pre: 44.4 % vs. 38.5 %, <em>p</em> < 0.01), drinks (7.0 % vs. 4.8 %, p < 0.01), edibles (45.9 % vs. 35.6 %, p < 0.01), and topicals (6.4 % vs. 4.6 %, <em>p</em> < 0.05), and past 30-day edible use (11.8 % vs. 9.0 %, <em>p</em> = 0.01) were higher post-retail; use of other product types did not differ.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Cannabis use overall and among certain subtypes (e.g., edibles) increased among New Jersey young adults in the three months after adult-use cannabis retail sales began, demonstrating that increased access to legal cannabis for sale may encourage use. Continued monitoring is needed over longer follow-up periods in New Jersey and other states legalizing cannabis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20339,"journal":{"name":"Preventive medicine","volume":"198 ","pages":"Article 108354"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Preventive medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743525001379","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives
Limited research has evaluated the impact of cannabis policies on young adult cannabis use, after full implementation (retail outlets opened), nor on cannabis product type. This study examined the relationship between adult-use cannabis retail sales in New Jersey (United States) and young adult cannabis use by type.
Methods
Data on New Jersey young adults (18–23 years) were from the Policy Communication and Evaluation (PACE) New Jersey Study. Generalized estimating equations models estimated differences in prevalence of ever and past 30-day use of cannabis and sub-types before (Waves 1–3 [March–November 2021], n = 1439) and after (Wave 4 [June–July 2022], n = 1127) adult-use retail sales began.
Results
Ever cannabis use among New Jersey young adults was higher in the post-retail sales period than pre-sales (58.1 % vs. 48.9 %, p < 0.01). The odds of ever cannabis use were 42 % higher (95 % CI = 32 %–54 %) in the post-retail period. Ever use of dried herb (post vs. pre: 44.4 % vs. 38.5 %, p < 0.01), drinks (7.0 % vs. 4.8 %, p < 0.01), edibles (45.9 % vs. 35.6 %, p < 0.01), and topicals (6.4 % vs. 4.6 %, p < 0.05), and past 30-day edible use (11.8 % vs. 9.0 %, p = 0.01) were higher post-retail; use of other product types did not differ.
Conclusions
Cannabis use overall and among certain subtypes (e.g., edibles) increased among New Jersey young adults in the three months after adult-use cannabis retail sales began, demonstrating that increased access to legal cannabis for sale may encourage use. Continued monitoring is needed over longer follow-up periods in New Jersey and other states legalizing cannabis.
期刊介绍:
Founded in 1972 by Ernst Wynder, Preventive Medicine is an international scholarly journal that provides prompt publication of original articles on the science and practice of disease prevention, health promotion, and public health policymaking. Preventive Medicine aims to reward innovation. It will favor insightful observational studies, thoughtful explorations of health data, unsuspected new angles for existing hypotheses, robust randomized controlled trials, and impartial systematic reviews. Preventive Medicine''s ultimate goal is to publish research that will have an impact on the work of practitioners of disease prevention and health promotion, as well as of related disciplines.