Most California cannabis users were unfamiliar with Prop 64's specific regulations
Four years after implementation, the majority of California cannabis users lacked knowledge of specific Prop 64 regulations, with only 49% knowing possession rules and 30% understanding gifting laws.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Among 4,020 current cannabis users demographically matched to the 2020 California census, 71% described themselves as somewhat or very familiar with Prop 64, yet awareness of specific regulations was low: 49% knew possession rules, 41% knew transportation rules, and only 30% understood gifting regulations. Only half of current users felt Prop 64 made cannabis products and acquisition safer, and just 30% believed cannabis should be legal in more public places.
Key Numbers
n=5,178 total (4,020 current users, 523 former, 635 non-users); 71% self-reported familiarity; 49% knew possession rules; 41% knew transportation rules; 30% knew gifting rules; 30% supported more public use; 50% felt legalization made products safer
How They Did This
Population-matched questionnaire completed by 4,020 current cannabis users, 523 former users, and 635 non-users selected from an initial pool matched to the 2020 California census. Chi-squared tests and nominal logistic multivariate analysis assessed knowledge and attitudes by demographics and cannabis use factors.
Why This Research Matters
If most cannabis users do not know the rules governing possession, transportation, and gifting, they may unknowingly violate laws. This gap between perceived familiarity and actual knowledge suggests legalization rollouts need more effective public education.
The Bigger Picture
Legalization without effective public education creates a knowledge vacuum where users believe they understand the law but actually do not. This pattern likely extends beyond California to every state that has legalized.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional survey cannot track how knowledge changes over time. Self-reported familiarity may not align with tested knowledge. Online panel recruitment may not fully represent all California demographics.
Questions This Raises
- ?Have other states with legalization done better at educating users about specific regulations?
- ?Does knowledge of cannabis regulations affect compliance behavior or health outcomes?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Only 30% of users knew cannabis gifting rules
- Evidence Grade:
- Large population-matched sample with rigorous statistical methods provides moderate confidence, though cross-sectional design limits causal inference.
- Study Age:
- 2025 publication; survey data matched to 2020 California census, approximately four years after Prop 64 implementation
- Original Title:
- Knowledge and attitudes toward recreational cannabis legalization among California residents: a population-matched questionnaire about Proposition 64.
- Published In:
- Journal of cannabis research, 7(1), 42 (2025)
- Authors:
- Ageze, Daniel(4), Baird, Sara(4), Marcotte, Thomas D(13), Elashmawy, Ahmed, Wong, Angela, Dell'Acqua, Renee, Rybar, Jill, Hacker, Sarah, Gold, Alice, Shaughnessy, Tom, Lanin-Kettering, Ilene, Hill, Linda L
- Database ID:
- RTHC-05876
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Did most cannabis users think they understood Prop 64?
Yes, 71% described themselves as somewhat or very familiar with the law, but when tested on specific regulations, knowledge was much lower, with fewer than half knowing possession rules.
Who was most familiar with Prop 64?
Full-time employed users, those without minors in the household, and Central California residents were more likely to report familiarity with the law.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-05876APA
Ageze, Daniel; Baird, Sara; Marcotte, Thomas D; Elashmawy, Ahmed; Wong, Angela; Dell'Acqua, Renee; Rybar, Jill; Hacker, Sarah; Gold, Alice; Shaughnessy, Tom; Lanin-Kettering, Ilene; Hill, Linda L. (2025). Knowledge and attitudes toward recreational cannabis legalization among California residents: a population-matched questionnaire about Proposition 64.. Journal of cannabis research, 7(1), 42. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-025-00304-9
MLA
Ageze, Daniel, et al. "Knowledge and attitudes toward recreational cannabis legalization among California residents: a population-matched questionnaire about Proposition 64.." Journal of cannabis research, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-025-00304-9
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Knowledge and attitudes toward recreational cannabis legaliz..." RTHC-05876. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/ageze-2025-knowledge-and-attitudes-toward
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.