Table 2.

Summary of Findings on Impact of Cannabis Policy on Alcohol Use Measures Among Youth and Young Adults

Article	Data (Study Period)	Age Group	MJ Policy Measure	Alcohol Policy or Price Measure	Impact of MJ Policy on Alcohol Use Measure	Impact of MJ Policy on MJ Use Measure
Youth Population (Age 19 and Younger)
Wen et al. (2015)48	NSDUH (2004–2012)	Ages 12–20	MML	Beer tax	↓ 30 d total alcohol drinks ↑ 30 d binge drinking days ↓ AUD past year	↓ 30 d MJ use ↓ 30 d daily/near daily MJ use ↓ Days of MJ use ↑ First MJ use last year ↓ DSM-IV MJ use/dependence
			MML provisions	Beer tax	NS	Retail dispensary: ↑ 30 d MJ use
Cerdá et al. (2018)50	MTF (1991–2015)	Grades 8, 10, and 12	MML	Beer tax	↓ Binge drinking, 8th graders ↑ Binge drinking, 10th graders ↑ Binge drinking, 12th graders	↓ 30 d MJ use for 8th graders ↑ 30 d MJ use for 10th graders ↓ 30 d MJ use for 12th graders
Dills et al. (2017)47	MTF (1977–2015)	Grade 12	Either MML or RML	Beer tax, MLDA, Zero tolerance law, 0.08 BAC limit	↓ Lifetime alcohol use ↓ 30 d alcohol use ↓ 30 d number of times used	↓ Lifetime MJ use ↓ 30 d MJ use ↓ 30 d number of times used
			Either MML, RML, or Decrim	Beer tax, MLDA, Zero tolerance law, 0.08 BAC limit	↑ Lifetime alcohol use ↑ 30 d alcohol use ↓ 30 d number of times used	↑ Lifetime MJ use ↑ 30 d MJ use ↑ 30 d number of times used
Johnson et al. (2018)49	YRBSS (1991–2011)	Grades 9–12	MML	None	↓ 30 d alcohol use ↓ 30 d alcohol use without MJ ↓ 30 d binge drinking	↓ 30 d MJ use without alcohol
			MML Restrictiveness (Scale: Less restrictive law means higher value)	None	↓ 30 d alcohol use ↓ 30 d alcohol use without MJ ↓ 30 d binge drinking	↓ 30 d MJ use without alcohol
Coley et al. (2020)46	YRBSS (1999–2017)	Ages 14–18+	RML	Beer tax	↓ Any 30 d alcohol use ↓ Level of 30 d alcohol use	↑ Any 30 d MJ use ↓ Level of 30 d MJ use
			MML	Beer tax	↑ Any 30 d alcohol use ↓ Level of 30 d alcohol use	↑ Any 30 d MJ use ↓ Level of 30 d MJ use
			Decrim	Beer tax	↑ Any 30 d alcohol use ↓ Level of 30 d alcohol use	↑ Any 30 d MJ use ↓ Level of 30 d MJ use
Mason et al. (2016)52	Common Sense Parenting Intervention (2010–2013)	Grades 8–9	RML	None	↓ 30 d alcohol use	↑ 30 d MJ use
Bailey et al. (2020)51	Seattle Social Development Project (2002–2011–2015–2018)	≤ age 20	RML	None	↑ Past-year alcohol use	↑ Past-year MJ use
Young Adult Population (Ages 18–25)
Kerr et al. (2017)55	Healthy Minds Study (2012–2016)	Ages 18–26	RML	No	↓ Past 2-week heavy alcohol use	↑ 30 d MJ use
Cook et al. (2020)53	FARS (2010–2017)	Ages 15–24	DML	Beer tax ALR laws	NS: MVCs with BAC ≥ 0.08%	None
			MML	Beer tax ALR laws	↓ MVCs with BAC ≥ 0.08%	None
Alley et al. (2020)56	National College Health Assessment (2008–2018)	Ages 18–26	RML	No	↓ Binge drinking ≤ 20 years ↓ Binge drinking ≥ 21 years	None
Sabia et al. (2017)26	BRFSS (1993–2012)	Ages 18–24	MML	Alcohol tax Zero tolerance laws	↓ 30 d any alcohol use ↓ 30 d binge drinking	None
Sabia & Nguyen (2018)57	BRFSS (1990–2016)	Ages 18–19 Ages 20–29	MML	Beer tax	↓ 30 d number of drinks, ages 18–19 ↓ 30 d number of drinks, ages 20–29	None
Kerr et al. (2018)54	National College Health Assessment II (2008–2016)	Ages 18–26	RML	No	↓ 30 d alcohol use	↑ 30 d MJ use ↑ Level of 30 d MJ use

Bold text indicates finding statistically significant at alpha = 0.05 for a two-tailed test.

Note: ALR, administrative license revocation; AUD, alcohol use disorder; BAC, blood alcohol concentration; BRFSS, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; Decrim, decriminalization; DML, decriminalization marijuana law; DSM-IV, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition; FARS, Fatality Analysis Reporting System; MJ, marijuana; MLDA, minimum legal drinking age; MML, medical marijuana law; MTF, Monitoring the Future; MVCs, motor vehicle crashes; NS, nonsignificant; NSDUH, National Survey on Drug Use and Health; RML, recreational marijuana law; YRBSS, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System.