Study: Racial, Ethnic, and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Disparities in Local Cannabis Retail Policy in California
This study, co-authored by staff from PHI’s Getting it Right from the Start project, examines racial, ethnic, and neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics of Californians subject to specific local cannabis policies, to identify differences in health and economic outcomes between sociodemographic subgroups.
- Lynn Silver, MD, MPH, FAAP
- Alisa A. Padon
Bethany J. Simard
Lyndsay A. Avalos
Aurash J. Soroosh
Kelly C Young-Wolff
Policies governing legal cannabis commerce can vary widely within a U.S. state when local control exists. Disproportionate distribution of policies allowing retail sale of cannabis, protecting public health, or promoting equity in licensing may contribute to differences in health and economic outcomes between sociodemographic subgroups.
In the study “Racial, ethnic, and neighborhood socioeconomic disparities in local cannabis retail policy in California,” published in Science Direct and co-authored by staff from PHI’s Getting it Right from the Start, researchers examine racial, ethnic, and neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics of Californians subject to specific local cannabis policies to identify disparities.
read the full studyHighlights
- This is the first study on the distribution of cannabis policies using an intersectional approach.
- Black residents in advantaged neighborhoods were most likely to live where cannabis retailing was allowed (69%).
- Equity in cannabis licensing policy was more prevalent for Black residents living in advantaged neighborhoods (57%) than in disadvantaged neighborhoods (49%).
- Latinx and Black populations from disadvantaged neighborhoods were most likely to live in jurisdictions with stronger cannabis advertising restrictions (66%).
- The impact of cannabis policy disparities on public health remains uncertain.
Our findings fill important gaps in the literature by identifying subtle but meaningful differences in Californians’ exposure to local cannabis policies across intersecting racial and ethnic identities and neighborhood advantage. These policies may systematically affect health and economic disparities.
– Authors, “Racial, ethnic, and neighborhood socioeconomic disparities in local cannabis retail policy in California”
Methods
Local laws in effect January 1, 2020, governing retail cannabis sales (bans, expanding buffers from youth-serving sites, restricting advertising, promoting equity in licensing, and capping outlets) were determined for California’s 539 jurisdictions. The number of Asian, Black, Latinx, and white residents in socioeconomic advantaged versus disadvantaged neighborhoods (Census block groups) was determined using 2015–2019 American Community Survey data. We estimated proportions of the sociodemographic subpopulations covered by specific policies based on the block group’s jurisdiction. To ascertain disparities in coverage proportions were compared across subgroups using Z-tests with the Bonferroni correction.
Results
Residents of socioeconomically advantaged neighborhoods were more likely to live in jurisdictions allowing retail cannabis commerce than those in disadvantaged neighborhoods (61.7 % versus 54.8 %). Black residents in advantaged neighborhoods were most likely to live where retailing was allowed (69 %), and white residents in disadvantaged neighborhoods least likely (49 %). Latinx and Black populations from disadvantaged neighborhoods were most likely to live in jurisdictions with stronger advertising restrictions (66 %). Equity in licensing policy was more prevalent for Black residents living in advantaged neighborhoods (57 %) than disadvantaged neighborhoods (49 %).
Conclusions
Local cannabis policies potentially protecting public health and social equity are unequally distributed across race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic characteristics in California. Research examining whether differential policy exposure reduces, creates, or perpetuates cannabis-related health and socioeconomic disparities is needed.
Originally published by Science Direct
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