Cannabis Use in Mexico Is Higher in Wealthier Municipalities
Recreational cannabis use in Mexico was more common in municipalities with higher income and education levels, and this gap widened between 2016 and 2023.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Each unit increase in municipal education was associated with a 2.9% increase in recreational cannabis use prevalence in 2023 (up from 1.5% in 2016-17), while each unit increase in municipal income was associated with a 1.8% increase (up from 1.5%).
Key Numbers
Municipal education: 1.5% prevalence increase per unit in 2016-17, 2.9% in 2023. Municipal income: 1.5% per unit in 2016-17, 1.8% in 2023. No significant effect modification by sex or age except for 20-29 year-olds vs. 12-19 year-olds.
How They Did This
Poisson regression models with robust variance analyzed data from two nationally representative Mexican surveys (2016-17 and 2023), linked with census-level municipal socioeconomic indicators.
Why This Research Matters
As Mexico considers cannabis legalization, understanding who currently uses cannabis helps anticipate how policy changes might play out. The concentration of use in wealthier areas contrasts with patterns seen in some other countries and has implications for equitable regulation.
The Bigger Picture
In many high-income countries, cannabis use has shifted toward higher socioeconomic groups over time. Mexico appears to follow a similar pattern. If legalization proceeds, monitoring whether commercialization changes this distribution will be important for equity-focused regulation.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional surveys cannot track individuals over time. Municipal-level data may mask neighborhood variation. Self-reported use likely underestimates true prevalence. Different survey instruments were used in 2016-17 vs. 2023.
Questions This Raises
- ?Whether legalization in Mexico would shift cannabis use patterns toward lower-income areas as commercial availability increases
- ?What drives the association between municipal advantage and cannabis use in the Mexican context
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Nationally representative data with census-linked socioeconomic measures, but cross-sectional design and ecological-level exposure limit causal interpretation.
- Study Age:
- Published 2025, using 2016-17 and 2023 survey data from Mexico.
- Original Title:
- Municipal socioeconomic environment and recreational cannabis use in Mexico: Analysis of two nationally representative surveys.
- Published In:
- The International journal on drug policy, 136, 104704 (2025)
- Authors:
- Sánchez-Pájaro, Andrés, Pérez-Ferrer, Carolina, Barrera-Núñez, David A, Cerdá, Magdalena, Thrasher, James F, Barrientos-Gutiérrez, Tonatiuh
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07564
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is this pattern unique to Mexico?
Not entirely. Several high-income countries have seen cannabis use concentrate among higher socioeconomic groups, though the specific dynamics in Mexico reflect its own regulatory and cultural context.
Could legalization change this pattern?
Possibly. In some U.S. states, commercial availability has changed who uses cannabis. The researchers suggest monitoring this closely if Mexico legalizes.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07564APA
Sánchez-Pájaro, Andrés; Pérez-Ferrer, Carolina; Barrera-Núñez, David A; Cerdá, Magdalena; Thrasher, James F; Barrientos-Gutiérrez, Tonatiuh. (2025). Municipal socioeconomic environment and recreational cannabis use in Mexico: Analysis of two nationally representative surveys.. The International journal on drug policy, 136, 104704. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104704
MLA
Sánchez-Pájaro, Andrés, et al. "Municipal socioeconomic environment and recreational cannabis use in Mexico: Analysis of two nationally representative surveys.." The International journal on drug policy, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104704
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Municipal socioeconomic environment and recreational cannabi..." RTHC-07564. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/sanchez-pajaro-2025-municipal-socioeconomic-environment-and
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.