Adults living near cannabis stores tend to use more marijuana but drink less alcohol, according to recent research.
The effects were most pronounced among Gen Z and baby boomers, two generations the $32 billion legal cannabis industry is attempting to attract.
Led by Oregon State University professor David Kerr and published recently in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, the study reviewed data from 60,000 Oregon adults who responded to a telephone survey.
Researchers compared participants’ ZIP codes to the locations of licensed cannabis retailers to assess the relationship between a nearby store and marijuana use.
They found Oregonians living near cannabis retailers were more likely to use cannabis “frequently,” defined as 10 or more days per month.
They are also less likely to engage in “heavy drinking,” which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines as consuming eight or more drinks per week for women and 15 or more for men.
Nearby cannabis retail has important effects on key generations
The findings come amid research that shows a generational decline of alcohol use among young people.
Other data suggests that cannabis retailers are kept afloat by millennials.
This shift is considered to be one reason why makers of alcoholic beverages are entering the THC beverage space.
But the study also raises concerns about the potential for cannabis use disorder because this age group is particularly vulnerable to the marijuana’s effects on the developing brain, according to researchers.
Among older adults, the findings suggest a shift in perceptions about the risks of regular cannabis use, often tied to its medicinal applications.
And it “underscores the need for age-informed prevention efforts and policies that address the marketing and accessibility of cannabis products,” Kerr said in a statement.
He emphasized the importance of balancing the benefits of cannabis legalization with potential public health risks.
