Recreational Marijuana Laws and Junk Food Consumption: Evidence Using Border Analysis and Retail Sales Data

77 Pages Posted: 14 Feb 2019 Last revised: 31 Jan 2024

See all articles by Michele Baggio

Michele Baggio

University of Connecticut - Department of Economics

Alberto Chong

Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Department of Economics; Institute for Corruption Studies

Date Written: February 4, 2019

Abstract

We use retail scanner data on purchases of high calorie food to study the link between recreational marijuana laws (RMLs) and consumption of high calorie food. To do this we exploit differences in the timing of introduction of marijuana laws among states and find that they are complements. Specifically, in counties located in RML states monthly sales of high calorie food increased by 3.1 percent for ice cream, 4.1 for cookies, and 5.3 percent for chips.

Keywords: Border Analysis, Difference-In-Difference, Junk Food, Recreational Marijuana Laws, US Counties

JEL Classification: I1, K4

Suggested Citation

Baggio, Michele and Chong, Alberto, Recreational Marijuana Laws and Junk Food Consumption: Evidence Using Border Analysis and Retail Sales Data (February 4, 2019). Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Research Paper Series No. 19-16, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3328613 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3328613

Michele Baggio (Contact Author)

University of Connecticut - Department of Economics ( email )

365 Fairfield Way, U-1063
Storrs, CT 06269-1063
United States

Alberto Chong

Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Department of Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 3992
Atlanta, GA 30302-3992
United States

Institute for Corruption Studies

Stevenson Hall 425
Normal, IL 61790-4200
United States

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