Up in Smoke? The Effects of Marijuana Dispensaries on Neighborhood Crime

• In Event: Smoking, Drinking and Driving: Impacts of New Regulation Policies

Abstract

Beginning with Colorado in 2012, a growing number of states have had overturned bans on the sale, possession, and use of marijuana for recreational purposes. Consistent with the logic of routine activities theory and broken windows theory, critics of this trend argue that a major reason to oppose legalized marijuana is that dispensaries are magnets for crime, increasing poverty and homelessness, attracting shady clientele, and tempting would-be thieves with large sums of cash and valuable goods. Aside from a few anecdotes, however, no systematic evidence has been offered in support of or against this position. The current study addresses this void by examining the effects of recreational marijuana dispensaries on rates of crime in N=2,917 neighborhood grids since 2012. We focus on Denver, CO, because it is a large urban center and has one of the most well-established marijuana industries in the country. Preliminary results reveal a statistically significant positive association between density of recreational marijuana dispensaries and certain types of crime (e.g., public disorder), net of past crime, neighborhood disadvantage, and the presence of liquor and medical marijuana establishments. No such evidence is observed for other offense types (e.g., robbery). The theoretical and policy implications of findings are discussed.

Authors

• Lorine Hughes, University of Colorado Denver

• Lonnie M. Schaible, University of Colorado Denver

• Katherine Jimmerson, University of Colorado Denver