The Moderating Role Of Cannabis Usage and Voting Intention on Oregon Residents’ Support for Cannabis Tourism

Abstract

Changes in perceptions and laws on recreational cannabis use have shifted significantly in recent years. Yet research in this field is still scarce. This study explores residents’ perceptions on impact and support for cannabis tourism using cannabis user status and voting intention as moderators. Results from a quantitative survey distributed to Oregon residents (n = 700) reveal overall positive perceptions on cannabis legalization and cannabis tourism. More specifically, perceived positive impact had more influence on support for cannabis tourism among nonusers than users, while users’ support appeared to be steady regardless of their perceived level of positive impact. The study findings also showed a significant relationship between voting intention and support for cannabis tourism but an insignificant interaction between voting intention and impact factors, indicating that voting intention may be treated as a separate construct affecting residents’ support, rather than a moderator between impact factors and support level. Considering the continued evolvement in the legal and economic landscapes of cannabis tourism, policymakers and industry professionals should engage in continual conversations on how to plan and manage this new tourism segment for community and state development.