Community and professional stakeholders support taxing high-THC products, but industry opposes
A concept mapping study in Washington State found community members and professionals supported taxation and age restrictions on high-THC products, while cannabis industry advocates opposed taxation and favored lower-impact measures like education.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Community and professional stakeholders supported environmental policy changes like THC-based taxation, raising the minimum age for high-concentration products, and advertising restrictions. Cannabis industry stakeholders rejected THC-content taxation, proposed lowering taxes instead, and favored low-population-impact measures like educating parents and youth.
Key Numbers
Three stakeholder groups: community, professionals, cannabis advocates. Multiple policy ideas generated through concept mapping. Study was legislatively mandated by Washington State.
How They Did This
Concept mapping, a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative brainstorming with quantitative analysis, was used to explore stakeholder perspectives. Participants were categorized into community members, professionals, and cannabis advocates. The study was requested by the Washington State Legislature.
Why This Research Matters
This study provides a structured overview of what different stakeholders actually want regarding high-THC regulation. The clear divide between industry and non-industry perspectives helps policymakers understand the political landscape.
The Bigger Picture
High-potency cannabis concentrates (50-90% THC) are an increasingly common product category that some researchers link to elevated health risks. Understanding which regulatory approaches have broad stakeholder support is essential for crafting politically viable policies.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Washington State-specific findings may not generalize to other jurisdictions. Self-selected stakeholders may not represent broader populations. Concept mapping captures perspectives but does not evaluate policy effectiveness.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would THC-based taxation actually reduce consumption of high-potency products?
- ?What is the optimal minimum age for purchasing concentrates?
- ?How do industry actors from other states compare to those in Washington?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Cannabis concentrates range from 50-90% THC
- Evidence Grade:
- Mixed-methods stakeholder analysis. This is policy research documenting perspectives rather than testing health outcomes, so traditional evidence grading does not apply.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2024 based on a study mandated by the Washington State Legislature.
- Original Title:
- Identifying policy options to regulate high potency cannabis: A multiple stakeholder concept mapping study in Washington State, USA.
- Published In:
- The International journal on drug policy, 123, 104270 (2024)
- Authors:
- Carlini, Beatriz H(7), Garrett, Sharon B(4), Matos, Patrick, Nims, Lexi N, Kestens, Yan
- Database ID:
- RTHC-05178
Evidence Hierarchy
Frequently Asked Questions
What policies do most stakeholders support for high-THC products?
Community members and professionals supported taxation based on THC content, raising the minimum purchase age for concentrates, and restricting advertising. Cannabis industry representatives opposed these and favored education-focused approaches.
Why regulate high-potency cannabis specifically?
Cannabis concentrates can contain 50-90% THC, far exceeding traditional flower. Research links higher potency to increased risks of cannabis use disorders, psychotic symptoms, and accidental poisonings.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-05178APA
Carlini, Beatriz H; Garrett, Sharon B; Matos, Patrick; Nims, Lexi N; Kestens, Yan. (2024). Identifying policy options to regulate high potency cannabis: A multiple stakeholder concept mapping study in Washington State, USA.. The International journal on drug policy, 123, 104270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104270
MLA
Carlini, Beatriz H, et al. "Identifying policy options to regulate high potency cannabis: A multiple stakeholder concept mapping study in Washington State, USA.." The International journal on drug policy, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104270
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Identifying policy options to regulate high potency cannabis..." RTHC-05178. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/carlini-2024-identifying-policy-options-to
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.