In Washington State, an entirely new market of legal marijuana has just opened. Governments are still unsure how to properly handle the situation. Research is quickly being done but because this is a relatively new phenomenon, very little research exists to help people and governments understand the full impact of legalization. This paper seeks to expand that knowledge by establishing what makes a recreational marijuana store successful based on its location. This paper examines the relationship that store sales have with bordering a neighboring state, or Canada. It also examines the effects of the demographics of the city that the recreational marijuana store is based in. Specifically, it discusses the impact of median household income in the city and how the county voted in the 2012 presidential election. The study finds that bordering Idaho or Oregon will hugely boost the sales of recreational marijuana as out of state residents flock to purchase legally. This paper finds that bordering Canada has the opposite effect. Median household income was found to be largely inconclusive. This paper also found that, at the 90% confidence level, a county with a higher percentage of votes for Obama in 2012 positively influences the sales of marijuana. Hopefully these conclusions can lead policy makers to better anticipate where the highest demand for marijuana will occur, allowing them to consequently prepare better.
The author has given permission for this work to be deposited in the Digital Archive of Colorado College.
Colorado College Honor Code upheld.
Includes bibliographical references.
The author has given permission for this work to be deposited in the Digital Archive of Colorado College.
Colorado College Honor Code upheld.
