Most U.S. state cannabis regulatory systems are not evidence-based, and applying psychological science to consumer behavior, industry practices, and regulation could significantly reduce public health harms.
Cannabis policy researchers, state regulators, public health professionals, anyone interested in evidence-based drug policy
Most U.S. state cannabis regulatory systems are not evidence-based
What the researchers found
Cannabis regulations should account for three key agents: consumers (whose behavior is driven by pharmacological and environmental variables), the cannabis industry (which uses marketing strategies that may increase harm), and regulatory agencies (which can use evidence from psychology to shape consumption patterns).
Why it matters
As more jurisdictions legalize cannabis, the regulatory choices made now will shape consumption patterns and public health outcomes for decades. Psychology offers tools to design regulations that minimize harm.
The numbers in context
Review addresses THC-laden cannabis for both medical and recreational use across U.S. state regulatory systems
How the study worked
Applied review and commentary drawing on psychological science literature to provide evidence-based guidance for cannabis regulators, organized around the three primary agents in the cannabis regulation ecosystem.
What this study cannot tell us
Commentary piece that draws primarily on behavioral research from other substance domains. Direct evidence on cannabis-specific regulatory effects is limited due to the recency of legalization.
How to read the evidence
Applied review drawing on established behavioral science adapted to the cannabis regulation context
When this study was published
Published in 2021. Cannabis regulatory frameworks continue to evolve across U.S. states and internationally.
The bigger picture
The same behavioral science principles used to regulate alcohol and tobacco can be applied to cannabis, but current cannabis regulation largely ignores this evidence base in favor of industry-friendly frameworks.
Questions still open
- Which psychological principles are most effective when applied to cannabis regulation? How do cannabis industry lobbying efforts compare to those of alcohol and tobacco? Can evidence-based regulation be implemented retroactively in states with established markets?
Common questions
Are cannabis regulations evidence-based?
How could psychology improve cannabis regulation?
Read the original research
The importance of psychology for shaping legal cannabis regulation.
Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, 29(1), 99-115
Citation
Borodovsky, Jacob T; Sofis, Michael J; Grucza, Richard A; Budney, Alan J. (2021). The importance of psychology for shaping legal cannabis regulation.. Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, 29(1), 99-115. https://doi.org/10.1037/pha0000362
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