Abstract
In 1996, California was the first state to pass a Compassionate Use Act allowing for the legal use of marijuana for medical
purposes. Here we review several current policy and land use environmental interventions designed to limit problems related
to the influx of medical marijuana dispensaries across California cities. Then we discuss the special challenges, solutions,
and techniques used for studying the effects of these place-based policies. Finally, we present some of the advanced spatial
analytic techniques that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of environmental interventions, such as those related to
reducing problems associated with the proliferation of medical marijuana dispensaries. Further, using data from a premise
survey of all the dispensaries in Sacramento, this study will examine what characteristics and practices of these dispensaries
are related to crime within varying distances from the dispensaries (e.g., 100, 250, 500, and 1,000 feet). We find that some
security measures, such as security cameras and having a door man outside, implemented by medical marijuana dispensary owners
might be effective at reducing crime within the immediate vicinity of the dispensaries.
purposes. Here we review several current policy and land use environmental interventions designed to limit problems related
to the influx of medical marijuana dispensaries across California cities. Then we discuss the special challenges, solutions,
and techniques used for studying the effects of these place-based policies. Finally, we present some of the advanced spatial
analytic techniques that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of environmental interventions, such as those related to
reducing problems associated with the proliferation of medical marijuana dispensaries. Further, using data from a premise
survey of all the dispensaries in Sacramento, this study will examine what characteristics and practices of these dispensaries
are related to crime within varying distances from the dispensaries (e.g., 100, 250, 500, and 1,000 feet). We find that some
security measures, such as security cameras and having a door man outside, implemented by medical marijuana dispensary owners
might be effective at reducing crime within the immediate vicinity of the dispensaries.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original paper
- Pages 1-11
- DOI 10.1007/s10464-012-9542-6
- Authors
- Bridget Freisthler, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, 3250 Public Affairs Building, Box 951656, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1656, USA
- Nancy J. Kepple, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, 3250 Public Affairs Building, Box 951656, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1656, USA
- Revel Sims, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, 3250 Public Affairs Building, Box 951656, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1656, USA
- Scott E. Martin, Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 1995 University Ave., Suite 450, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA
- Journal American Journal of Community Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2770
- Print ISSN 0091-0562