An analysis of 85 Maryland dispensaries across 468 zip codes found no evidence that dispensaries were concentrated in high-income or majority-white communities, with dispensaries instead located in racially diverse areas with more retail.
Readers interested in cannabis policy equity, dispensary access, and how legalization intersects with racial and economic justice.
85 dispensaries across 468 zip codes
What the researchers found
Dispensaries were concentrated in zip codes with racially diverse populations and higher concentrations of retail establishments. Community-level racial or income disparities in geographic access to medical cannabis were not observed.
Why it matters
Equity in cannabis legalization is a major policy concern. While Maryland initially awarded a disproportionate share of business licenses to white-owned companies, this study suggests the geographic placement of dispensaries is not concentrated in privileged communities.
The numbers in context
85 dispensaries; 468 zip codes; 6.1 million residents; dispensaries located in racially diverse areas with higher retail density
How the study worked
Ecological cross-sectional design using geocoded locations of 85 operating dispensaries (as of December 2019) from the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission, linked to zip code demographics from the American Communities Survey covering 6.1 million residents across 468 zip codes.
What this study cannot tell us
Ecological design cannot assess individual-level access. Did not examine affordability, transportation, or other access barriers. Cross-sectional data from a single state.
How to read the evidence
Ecological cross-sectional design with comprehensive geographic coverage, but cannot assess individual-level access or confounders.
When this study was published
Published in 2021 using 2018-2019 data; the dispensary landscape may have changed since.
The bigger picture
Geographic access is only one dimension of equity. Even without location-based disparities, affordability barriers persist since medical cannabis is not covered by insurance. The study examined where dispensaries are, not who can afford to use them.
Questions still open
- Does geographic proximity to a dispensary translate to actual use across racial and income groups? How do affordability barriers interact with physical access?
Common questions
Were dispensaries placed in wealthy areas?
Does this mean access is equitable?
Read the original research
Geolocation of Maryland Medical Marijuana Dispensaries by Community Income and Racial Characteristics: An Ecological Design.
Substance use & misuse, 56(2), 318-326
Citation
Novak, Priscilla; Sanmartin, Maria X; Ali, Mir M. (2021). Geolocation of Maryland Medical Marijuana Dispensaries by Community Income and Racial Characteristics: An Ecological Design.. Substance use & misuse, 56(2), 318-326. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2020.1868516