View article

Abstract Background and Aims The evolving legal status of cannabis world‐wide necessitates evidence‐based regulatory policies to minimize risks associated with cannabis misuse. A prominent concern is the impact legalization may have on the illegal cannabis market, including whether illegal cannabis will serve as a substitute for legal cannabis. Empirical data on this issue are virtually non‐existent. This study used behavioral economics to investigate substitutability of legal and illegal cannabis in legalized catchment areas in the United States. Design A substitution‐based marijuana purchase task assessed estimated cannabis consumption from concurrently available legal (a dispensary) and illegal (a dealer) sources. Prices of the two options were reciprocally either held constant (10/gram)orescalated( 0–60/gram).SettingUSstateswithlegalizedrecreationalcannabis …