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WSIPP: closer retail access linked to modest increases in cannabis use and some health and safety indicators
Summary
WSIPP researchers told the Consumer Protection & Business Committee that, within Washington, shorter drive times to licensed cannabis retailers are associated with modestly higher reports of adult use, increases in THC detection among drivers in fatal crashes, and small rises in Medicaid cannabis use disorder diagnoses and related hospitalizations.
The Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) presented long‑term research on Initiative 502 at the committee's Oct. 21 work session. Eva Westley, associate director for research, and Amani Rasheed, senior research associate and lead on the I‑502 evaluation, summarized multi‑year analyses of criminal justice outcomes, retail access and health and safety effects.
WSIPP confirmed prior findings that cannabis misdemeanor possession convictions among legal‑age adults dropped sharply after Initiative 502. Rasheed said monthly cannabis misdemeanor conviction rates for legal‑age adults "dropped to almost 0 immediately after initiative 5 0 2 goes into effect" and noted that underage conviction rates also declined but did not fall to zero (Amani Rasheed, 01:11:49).
Using a measure of average drive time to the nearest licensed retailer, WSIPP investigators reported that shorter drive times are associated with…
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