About This Project

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

I conducted the first peer-reviewed study of Oregon marijuana users and producers using Respondent Driven Sampling techniques. That study suggests that (1) the average Oregon marijuana user consumes approximately 4.5 ounces per year, (2) the average per ounce price is the lowest in the US at $177, (3) most users purchase the drug from friends, (4) nearly one third of respondents indicate that they sell marijuana, and (5) growers tend to sell small quantities to friends and relatives, rarely earning more than $10,000 annually from their sales.

My initial study occurred before Oregon allowed medical marijuana dispensaries to open (3/2014) and demonstrated the need for a long-term surveillance program to assess the impact of policy changes on marijuana related behaviors.

What is the significance of this project?

Oregonians are voting on the legalization of recreational marijuana use in November 2014. If the measure passes--which public opinion polls suggest will occur--Oregon marijuana policy will drastically change. We need to know how the marijuana market works pre-legalization and post-legalization. In addition, we need to establish a surveillance network of respondents to identify how future policy changes alter consumption/production behaviors. Because there is too little time to solicit funding from traditional sources and conduct the actual research before this November's election, I'm turning to the "democracy of ideas" that crowd-sourced research funding represents.

This project represents an open-source model that can be replicated in any state considering marijuana policy changes.

What are the goals of the project?

To establish a network of marijuana-using respondents that can be surveyed at multiple time points (current and future) to assess the effects of marijuana policy changes on use/production behavior. If successful, this funding request will provide the foundation for future research and establish a cost-effective framework for other states to follow.

For successful data collection, Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) requires primary monetary incentives (i.e. money to reward people for participating) (Crawford 2014). This funding request will provide $10 to 350 respondents for taking our survey instrument. If more funds are collected, we can offer secondary incentives to respondents who successfully recruit others ($5 / person; max $25), which accelerates the sample building process.