How tax structures for retail cannabis shape cannabis use among youth and young adults: evidence from a volumetric choice experiment.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite ongoing debates about cannabis regulation, little is known about how tax policy design influences cannabis use among U.S. adolescents and young adults (AYAs). With states adopting diverse taxation schemes based on weight, price, or product potency, evaluating how these approaches affect consumption is critical for evidence-based policymaking.

Aim

This study uses a split sample volumetric choice experiment (VCE) to examine how variations in pretax prices, tax bases, tax rates, and THC levels influence both the amount of cannabis consumed and the overall intake of THC among US AYAs aged 15-20. We also estimate the own-price elasticities for four cannabis forms (legal flower, illegal flower, edibles, and cartridges) and cross-price elasticities between these

SUBMITTER: Xu L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12922899 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature