College Students’ Perceptions of Marijuana

Brice Ashford, Parker Bergsagel, Katie Forbes, Sarah Martin, J.J. Townsend

4/30/15 Marketing 525- Market Research

Executive Summary

For this research report, we were very interested in finding out specific answers to various

research questions on the subject of Marijuana use among college students. To find out the answers to

these questions we had to create a survey to collect data and then process the data from this survey.

Specific research problems we ran into were how to create the right questions for our questionnaire and

then to find the right medium to get our survey to the participants. We held many hypotheses about

students’ marijuana use including but not limited to the following: Male students are more likely to

smoke than female students, marijuana use is more likely to be associated with the use of other hard

illicit drugs such as cocaine, and so on. Some of these hypotheses were proven to be wrong while others

were justified. For our study we decided to use an online survey to gather data from anonymous

participants. We were given a period of roughly two weeks to gather responses to our survey and the

response rates varied. Lastly, the most important results from our study are as follows:

Males are more likely to smoke than females and students who are in school for 5 years (5th

year seniors) are more likely to try marijuana.

The average age our student population began smoking was around 17 and the females were

more likely to try marijuana first. They generally smoke with friends than alone.

GPA’s seem to be more negative with greater marijuana use.

Students who have tried marijuana are more likely to try other illicit drugs

In conclusion, our results proved many of our hypotheses and objectives to be true. Marijuana

use and perceptions of marijuana use are generally correct from preconceptions. It is recommended

that other groups interested in finding out information about marijuana use and perceptions among

users and non-users of marijuana use this information to help them to understand results.

Introduction:

The legalization of Marijuana is a controversial topic. In America, some states have

decriminalized the use of Marijuana, some have made the use of medical Marijuana legal, and now

some states have begun legalizing cannabis for recreational use. People can now buy Marijuana freely

from local dispensaries in Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. There are many people who

disagree with it being legalized for recreational use. However, there are many “pro-pot” American

citizens, and even legislators, who emphatically agree that Marijuana should be legalized and taxed in

the United States. Researching the frequency of use involving cannabis is an important study for

everyone. In the past few years, with the recent movement towards recreational legalization, it’s

important to understand the benefits and the possible cons of using Marijuana.

Background Research:

In 1968, The University of Mississippi was selected to host the only federally approved

Marijuana farm in the United States. NIDA, The National Institute for Drug Abuse, has contracted Ole

Miss to grow cannabis for research and exploration with the drug, (NIDA, 2014). The lab has almost a

hundred different varieties of marijuana plants which are overseen by the director of the project,

Mahmoud A. ElSohly. In an article produced by a journalist from the New York Times, Mr. ElSohly stated

that the material gown and sent to different clinical studies around the United States to see if the

certain active ingredient in the cannabis plant helps various diseases or illnesses. For example the strain

would be tested to see if it would help pain, or glaucoma, or even AIDS. For these tests to take place, the

researchers need a standardized strain for cigarettes or sometimes THC pills. That’s why the marijuana

is being grown under careful watch and the plant is then sent to researches only if they have the correct

permit (Dreifus, 2008).

Marijuana is given to members of the Investigational New Drug program, which once had 30

members but only consists of four now. In 1992 the program stopped taking new applicants, but

continued to dispense cannabis to the members already enrolled. In an article from The Clarion Ledger

in Jackson Mississippi, and published on USA Today, a woman who was a member of the Investigational

New Drug program says that the only reason she has her eyesight still is because she smokes marijuana.

73 year old, Ms. Elvy Musikka said that in 1975 her doctor told her that she would go blind if she didn’t

start smoking cannabis. Musikka has glaucoma and found that smoking was the only thing that made it

slightly better (Senseman, 2012). Mr. ElSohly is also interviewed in this article, and talks about the new

research they’re doing in the lab at Ole Miss. They are currently working on is a small patch of

concentrated THC that when put on the gum line, transmits the THC through the bloodstream. They

have full support from the National Institute of Health. They have currently completed the first few

phases, and are working on releasing it shortly (ElSohly & Senseman, 2012).

Although the Natural Plant Garden at The University of Mississippi exists, there is no tolerance

for drug misuse at the university. The “Two Strike Rule” states that if there is a first offense due to the

misuse of alcohol or drugs, then the student will either be given community service, pay fines or fees, or

go through an alcohol/drug program. The student may possibly be put on probation as well. If a second

incident occurs due to misuse of drugs or alcohol, the student is promptly suspended; whether the

suspension happens immediately or after the given semester is up to the university (Ole Miss, 2014).

Recently, the NCAA has adjusted its testing practices and lowered the limit for how much

marijuana can be found in the bloodstream and be sanctioned; which pertains to Ole Miss and

universities in general. Specifically, they lowered the old level of fifteen nanograms per milliliter, to just

five nanograms. That is one-third of the old level of marijuana that could trigger a positive urine test

(Keith, 2013). This could inevitably ruin any scholarship or career for the sports student.

While Marijuana is highly controversial and familiar throughout the U.S., research is still fairly

limited. As noted from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, it is difficult to find research-based

information that is geared towards answers to questions such as its’ health effects and how federal and

state laws affect the drug (The White House, 2015). Popular opinions and social media, along with media

in general, portray marijuana in an opinionated way. Depending on whether a person is pro-marijuana

or against the use and legalization of the drug, their research is affected and limited. Recently certain

states have begun legalizing marijuana at a state level, but the Federal government is still trying to

diminish marijuana use and keep it out of the hands of children and addicts.

The Federal government currently has conflicting views concerning the health benefits of

marijuana. According to the current administration, the effects of marijuana would increase the use of

illicit drugs as well as the availability, while at the same time posing significant health and safety risks to

Americans, especially the youth (The White House, 2015). However, the National Institute on Drug

Abuse, an entity of the federal government, released a comment on the issue stating that according to

research, cannabinoids and THC possess beneficial qualities that aid in alleviating several common

medical issues (NIDA, 2014).

One of the main research topics on marijuana is the potential for medicinal uses of the plant.

Many universities across the country have medicinal plant divisions dedicated to researching and

learning about these medicinal properties. The University of Mississippi is one school that focuses on

this topic. The University of Mississippi’s School of Pharmacy states that they do not promote smoking

marijuana for its medicinal effects, but that their research has proven certain active chemicals extracted

from the plant could be used in prescription drugs. This could in turn be used in clinical studies and

practices (Ole Miss, 2015). Last year the school made advancements in the research of cannabis oil and

its’ medicinal properties. This is reiterated on the university’s page for the National Center for Natural

Products Research. In April, 2014 the University of Mississippi Medical Center was approved to utilize

cannabidiol oil, or CBD, for treatments involving epileptic seizures in children (Ole Miss, 2015). This is

often referred to as the Harper Grace Law. Mississippi has only recently decriminalized marijuana and its

use medicinally and recreationally are still mostly prohibited. Harper Grace Duval was a two year-old

patient at the Blair E. Batson children's hospital in Jackson, Ms. She suffered from a form of epilepsy

known as Dravet syndrome. The orally administered oil used to treat patients such as Harper Grace

contains both non-psychoactive cannabidiol, as well as small traces of psychoactive

tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC, and may have been beneficial in the treatment of epileptic-

seizures (The University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2014).

Despite there being many conflicting opinions about the benefits and risks associated with the

use and legalization of medical marijuana, people on both sides are relying more and more on research

to help reinforce their opinions (McManis, 2009). Many studies have concluded that marijuana has

proven helpful among patients with diseases such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or better

known as AIDS, glaucoma, cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic pain, and some anxiety,

depression and obsession, to name a few. Although it is not certain that the medicinal use of marijuana

can stop or reverse these diseases, there is a promising amount of evidence suggesting that marijuana

has additional therapeutic benefits, such as its ability to provide relief from muscle spasms and chronic

pain, suppress nausea, and boost and revitalize metabolism to combat weight loss (Disabled World,

2015).

One of the most common uses for medical marijuana is to help people who suffer from various

different types of cancers. Doctors use cannabinoids, the chemicals that are active in cannabis, to help

treat symptoms caused by cancer and its’ treatment, such as nausea and loss of appetite (National

Cancer Institute, 2014). While cannabis has proven helpful in fighting the symptoms of cancer and it’s

treatment, some research has shown that marijuana use is related with the risk of certain cancers.

Researchers from the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, Department of Neurology

evaluated the relationship of cannabis and smoking tobacco for the risk of bladder cancer, and they

established that a history of cannabis use was correlated with a lessened risk of bladder cancer. Another

study by Brown University concluded with similar results in relationship to head and neck cancers. While

its use shows that people are at a lower risk for developing cancer (Armentano, 2015). The National

Cancer Institute has found additional benefits of the drug, with findings that suggest cannabinoids can

also affect anti-inflammatory activity, blocking cell growth, preventing the growth of blood vessels that

supply tumors, and antiviral activity (2014).

While marijuana most often is used to combat symptoms of nausea and loss of appetite

associated with diseases like cancer and AIDS, researchers at The University of California San Francisco

have found that cannabinoids could provide an alternative to those suffering from chronic pain. Not

often recognized, chronic pain is one of the most common and poorly managed problems that faces

Americans. In the first experiment of its kind, researchers investigated the interaction of cannabinoids

and opiates when used to treat pain simultaneously. The data concluded that the two substances were

found to be more effective when used together, as opposed to using one by itself. The findings imply

that cannabinoids and opiates, when used together, may allow for people to take a lower dosage of the

opiates for a longer duration, reducing the amount of opiates needed for the entire treatment of

chronic pain. The findings of this study suggest that medical marijuana could offer a safer and more

effective alternative for the treatment of chronic pain (Kim, 2011).

While many believe that the risks associated with the use and legalization of medicinal

marijuana outweighs the potential benefits, many agree that opinions should be formed based off of

scientific evidence. The United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy stated that they have some

introductory data that shows certain specific medical conditions, marijuana could definitely be helpful

towards the symptoms. Murthy believes we have to use the data to create new policy (Devaney, 2015).

One of the primary arguments in support of legalizing weed has been the economic impact it

could have when taxed aggressively. Supporters claim that these benefits of legalized marijuana

outweigh the costs. This is potentially one of the most effective talking points people have used to get

marijuana legalized. Though, those in opposition also use the potential economic impact of legalizing

marijuana to their advantage by considering the negative health effects. According to one survey, 35%

of 12th graders in the United States have used marijuana at some point in their life (“Monitoring the

Future”, 2014). This could indicate that because teenagers and young adults have already been exposed

to marijuana, this could be a prelude to the steep demand of the drug once legalized which could have a

major impact on the economy. There are other elements to consider for us to get a clearer picture of

the true impact—budgetary savings, revenue gains, indirect costs, and productivity gains/losses.

However, because marijuana is currently grown and sold mostly on the black market, getting the

real value of the market for marijuana is tough. The trade journal Medical Marijuana Business Daily

estimated that marijuana sales was around $1.3 billion (MMJ Business Daily, 2013). They also estimated

that if cannabis were entirely legal, it would be a $46 billion per year year compared to beer at $96

billion and coffee and tea at $11 billion (MMJ Business Daily, 2013, p.9). Harvard professor Jeffrey A.

Miron summarized the following in a report about legalizing marijuana: would save $7.7 billion per year

in government expenditure on enforcement of prohibition; $5.3 billion of this savings would accrue to

state and local governments, while $2.4 billion would accrue to the federal government; would yield tax

revenue of $2.4 billion annually if marijuana were taxed like all other goods and $6.2 billion annually if

marijuana were taxed at rates comparable to those on alcohol and tobacco (Harvard University, 2005, p.

3). Furthermore, we share the belief that the fluctuating dispensary marijuana prices would be the

ultimate determinant of the overall quantity demand (Harvard University, 2005). According to one

global marijuana price index site, the average price of high quality marijuana is $242.66 and medium

quality is $195.93 ("Price of Weed" 2014). These prices reflect a nearly non-existent competition so one

could speculate that when multiple states legalize marijuana the prices could see a decrease simply due

to competition. Thus, due to the lack of research done on how much college students’ are willing to

purchase legal marijuana, we believe our research objectives should be to identify this price sensitivity

with the marijuana quality and weight amounts as variables.

To summarize the initial economic impact, it is probably that policy makers and activists will be

keeping a close eye on the ‘bottom line’ of marijuana in states that have already legalized it. If it

manifests to be a financial success, particularly for states operating in the red, it’d seem like legalization

would be inevitable for other states and possibly the federal government. To work towards a good first

step to understanding the economic impact of marijuana, we need to understand what consumers,

particularly millennials, are willing to pay for high quality and low quality marijuana at various ounce

levels. Lastly, states will choose to not legalize marijuana if it proves to not meet financial expectations

and alternatively create a hassle for the government.

Objectives:

After looking through our secondary research, we still have more questions that were not

answered concerning marijuana use and perceptions of the drug. The following objectives are what we

feel should be researched in order to know more about the subject.

1. What is the profile of the student smoker?

Hypothesis: The typical profile of a marijuana smoker will be male and an older student

2. When and why did users start using the drug?

Hypothesis: Students started before college and with a group of people

3. What factors encourage students to continue using marijuana?

Hypothesis: Students continue to smoke due to stress

4. How does marijuana use affect school performance?

Hypothesis: Marijuana use will lower GPA and school performance

5. Does marijuana use promote the use of other controlled substances?

Hypothesis: Marijuana will lead to other drug use

6. What are student attitudes toward marijuana, users, and legalization?

Hypothesis: Students will believe marijuana does not harm and promote legalization

7. What’s the price sensitivity in students for marijuana?

Hypothesis: Marijuana will not be very price sensitive

Method

A survey was created to help answer our seven research objectives. It consisted of 100 questions and

it was not necessary for the participant to have used marijuana in order to take the survey. It was

administered via Qualtrics and a link was then sent to college students; undergraduate and graduate

students were able to participate. A sample of 754 students from the University of Mississippi, and

various other colleges across the United States, responded to our survey in about a two week time

frame from the date the survey was sent out. This design was chosen to simplify the process of gaining

more information and answers in a short period of time. The survey had branching questions that

related to personal marijuana consumption; if the respondent had never used the drug, Qualtrics

proceeded to the next available question that related to the participant.

Results

To begin, with our first objective we were looking to find out what the typical profile was of a

student who smoked marijuana. 70% of our student population recorded having tried marijuana, versus

the 38% of American adults (18 and older) who have tried or used cannabis (X2=328.477, p= <.05). Male

students seem to be more likely to smoke than female students, with 76% of our male participants

saying they have tried marijuana versus 64% of our female respondents (X2=13.169, p= <.05). As for the

year in school contributing to the likelihood of having actually tried marijuana, we found that those

taking an additional year in undergraduate school (5th year seniors), are the most likely to have tried

marijuana (X2= 30.353, p= <.05).

The proportion of students who still use marijuana drops from 70% of those who have tried it to

about 46% of students who still use it. The average frequency for those students who still smoke is

around three or more times each month. Male students tend to smoke more frequently than female

students do (Mmales= .5940 vs. Mfemales= .3580 ; t=6.636, p= <.05). Additionally, those students who are

involved with Greek life smoke more frequently than those who are not involved (Mgreek= 3.46 vs. Mnon-

greek= 3.07 ; t= 1.844, p =<.05). We found that with our stereotypical Liberal Arts majors and

Business/Science majors, the two groups are equally likely to smoke (Mliberal arts= 3.26 vs. Mbusiness= 3.33 ;

t= .288, p=.773), and that Honors and non-Honors students are also equally likely to smoke (Mhonors=

.3372 vs. Mnon-honors= .7812 ; t=2.527, p=.012).

It seems that the amount a student smokes now depends on the age of a student upon first

trying marijuana (r= -.296, p=<.05). Student users prefer to smoke amongst friends rather than alone

(Malone = 4.06 vs. Mfriends = 5.23 ; t=11.48, p=<.05), but also the more a student smokes predicts a higher

likelihood of smoking alone (r=.707, p=<.05).

For our second objective we were curious as to why and when students started to use

marijuana. The average age at which our student population began smoking is 17 years old. The gender

that was more likely to try marijuana first were the females (Mmales= 16.54 vs. Mfemales= 17.20 ; t=3.212,

p=<.05). Students who tried marijuana with friends for the first time greatly outnumbered those who

tried alone for the first time (X2= 420.566, p=<.05). Alcohol did not have a big influence on students’ first

time using marijuana (M= 2.63; t= -15.262, p=<.05). Peer pressure also did not tend to influence

students’ first encounter with marijuana as well (r= -.064, p=.149).

Next, we wanted to see what factors encourage students to still use marijuana. We found that

student users of marijuana have more friends who also use the drug, whereas non-users have less

friends who use marijuana (Musers= 54.34 vs. Mnon-users= 25.54 ; t= 15.033, p=<.05). Curiosity has a

marginal influence on why students still decide to smoke (M = 4.06 ; t=.539, p=.590), and the

accessibility of purchasing marijuana also affects a student’s decision to continue to smoke (r= .070,

p=.195). Academic stress is not as big a factor as boredom is when it comes to students using marijuana

(Mboredom= 4.05 vs. Mstress= 3.16 ; t= 6.515, p=<.05).

How marijuana use affects school performance is what we were interested in finding next. We

found that the amount of classes missed during a semester may have to do with the amount of

marijuana a student smokes (r=.199, p=<.05). However, the more a student smokes, the students’

beliefs about their academic performance relative to their peers decreases marginally (r= -.083, p=.057).

Students’ actual GPA has an influence on how they viewed their academic performance (r=.661, p=<.05).

Those who do not use marijuana tend to have a higher GPA than those who do use marijuana, but not

by much (Musers = 3.153 vs. Mnon-users = 3.334 ; t=4.976, p=<.05). With that being said, the amount of

marijuana used by those who smoke also seems to affect the students’ GPAs negatively (r= -.161,

p=.<.05). Finally, we found that students who do not smoke marijuana seem to have more interest in

later attending, or are already attending, graduate school (Musers= 4.77 vs. Mnon-users= 5.02 ; t=1.664,

p=.096).

For our fifth objective, we wanted to see how marijuana use relates to students’ use of other

controlled substances. It has been debated on if Marijuana is a gateway drug; our results have showed

us that students who have tried marijuana are more likely to try additional drugs than those who

haven’t tried marijuana (Mtried= 1.65 vs. Mnot-tried= .08 ; t=11.411, p=<.05).The more a student smokes

leads to the more interested they are in trying other illicit drugs such as cocaine, mushrooms,

amphetamines, MDMA, inhalants, and LSD, all in respective order (r=.325; r=.463; r=.195; r=.302; r=.265;

p=.000 for all). However, students tend to smoke marijuana more than they use illicit drugs (Mmarijuana=

3.30 vs. Mdrugs= 1.786 ; t= 21.841, p=<.05). Going back to our results of students who have actually tried

marijuana (70% have tried), we found that only 32% have tried cocaine (X2= 508.502, p=<.05). Students

also tend to use marijuana more than they do ADHD medication (Mmarijuana= 3.33 vs. MADHD= 2.86 ;

t=3.978, p=<.05). Students still report drinking alcohol more than they use marijuana (Malcohol= 5.22 vs.

Mmarijuana= 3.33 ; t=17.57, p=<.05). The more a student uses alcohol, the more likely they are to use

marijuana (r=.156, p=<.05). Lastly, 98.4% of those students who smoke cigarettes have also tried

marijuana whereas 67% of students who do not smoke cigarettes have tried marijuana (X2= 26.761,

p=<.05).

Finding the attitudes that students have toward marijuana, marijuana users, and legalization

was our sixth objective. Students are in favor of legalization of medicinal marijuana (M= 5.64 ; t= 31.581,

p=<.05), as well as in favor for recreational marijuana (M= 4.77 ; t=10.828, p=<.05).Marijuana users are

more likely to agree with the legalization for recreational marijuana than non-users are (Musers= 5.84 vs.

Mnon-users= 3.85 ; t=16.100, p=<.05). The extent to which students think marijuana is a "gateway drug"

lessens their support to legalize recreational marijuana (r= -.538, p=<.05). Students do not believe that

marijuana negatively affects users overall health (M=4.00 ; t= -.040, p =.968), however students do

believe that the more you smoke the worse your health can become (r= -.322, p=<.05). Upon listing

different stereotypical adjectives that are related to using marijuana, we found that students who use

marijuana view smokers more positively than those who do not use marijuana.

With our last objective, we wanted to know how price sensitive marijuana users are. On

average, students pay about $17 for one gram of marijuana. We found that male students are willing to

pay more for marijuana than female students (Mmales= 18.21 vs. Mfemales=15.97 ; t=2.909, p=<.05). For

those that are marijuana users, the more they use marijuana the more they pay for a gram of the drug

(r=.144, p=<.05). The maximum average price students would be willing to pay for a gram is about

$20.50, which is only three dollars more than what the average price is already. When asked if the price

of marijuana doubled, students still say they would not likely be willing to pay for it (M=2.55 ; t=-16.655,

p=<.05). If marijuana became legalized for recreational use, those who already use marijuana would

increase their use more than non-users would (Musers= 4.68 vs. Mnon-users= 3.87 ; t=-6.185, p=<.05).

Students also recorded that they would not be willing to pay more for recreational marijuana than what

they already pay for illegal marijuana (M=3.70 ; t=-6.185, p=<.05), and if legal marijuana was actually

more than illegal marijuana, students would continue to buy it illegally (M=4.28 ; t=3.214, p=<.05).

Limitations

There were some limitations with this research project. One being that since we did not personally

administer the survey and have participants come to us, we cannot be completely sure that only college

students took this questionnaire and did not pass it on to other people who we were not targeting.

Another issue that came up was that some participants did not answer certain questions seriously; there

were some ratio measured data that was responded to jokingly. Also, like with most personal surveys,

we cannot be sure that our respondents answered every nominal or interval question truthfully. Upon

further consideration, the route we took with the survey being administered, online or via email to

chosen respondents, might not have been the best. It did save on time compared to how long it would

have taken for respondents to deliver or mail us the survey back, but we were unable to see any

noticeably incorrect responses before attempting to analyze them. Additionally, it would have been

ideal to have more time allotted for collecting responses in order to gain a larger sample size;

unfortunately with several unforeseen delays in our schedule that was not possible.

Conclusions and Recommendations

With increasing interest in Marijuana research and possible legalization, it’s important to know

people’s perceptions of cannabis. In researching students’ perceptions, we have found what many up-

and-comers believe about the drug, if they’ve experienced marijuana use first hand, and what they feel

about legalization.

We first wanted to gain an understanding of the typical marijuana users profile. Our original

hypothesis was that a typical marijuana smoker would be an older male student. Our research supports

our hypothesis, we found that more males consume marijuana than females, and between male and

female users, males tend to consumer marijuana more frequently than females. Of the male marijuana

users, most are more likely to be an older undergraduate student (5th year senior). We also found some

of our believed stereotypes of the typical marijuana user were true; as students involved in Greek life

are more likely to consume the drug.

We also wanted to find out more about when and why students first used the drug. The

average age at which students first consumed marijuana was around 17, and female respondents were

more likely to have tried the drug first. Our hypothesis was supported by the data, as the amount of

students who tried marijuana for the first time with friends greatly outnumbered those who tried the

drug alone.

We were also interested in what factors cause students to continue using marijuana. Factors

that contributed most to continuous consumption of the drug were the amount of friends the user had

who also used the drug, as well as the accessibility and ability to purchase marijuana. Our hypothesis

was proved wrong for this objective. The data suggests that academic stress contributed to consumption

less than boredom, and curiosity was a minute factor.

Next, we were concerned with determining how marijuana consumption has an affect on school

performance. Our hypothesis held true; the data stated that students who used marijuana had a lower

GPA than those students who didn’t use marijuana, however the gap in performance was small. Rather,

the amount of marijuana consumed had a greater effect on a student's GPA. Students who consumed

more of the drug reported lower GPAs than those who sometimes used the drug, or were nonusers.

We wanted to study the idea of marijuana as a “gateway drug,” and hypothesized that

marijuana use will lead to other drug use. Our data concluded that students who have tried marijuana

are more likely to try additional drugs than those who haven’t tried marijuana. Additionally, the more

marijuana a student uses leads to a higher level of interest in trying other illicit drugs. However, the

percentage of students who use marijuana consume it more than drugs like ADHD medication and

cocaine.

Next, we wanted to analyze students attitudes and beliefs towards marijuana, users, and

legalizations, and how those views differed between non users. We found that students typically are in

favor of legalization of medical marijuana, as well as marijuana for recreational use. Whether or not the

student was a marijuana user affected their opinions on legalization for recreational use, as users were

found more likely to support legalization for recreational purposes. We found that there is a gap in the

perception by users and non users, which implies that students who use marijuana view smokers more

positively than those students who do not use the drug.

Finally, we wanted to determine how price sensitive students are. We found that the average

price students pay per one gram of marijuana is $17, while the average maximum price that users would

be willing to pay is about $20.50. We found that with small price changes in the cost per gram of

marijuana, students were not extremely price sensitive; such as a change between the average costs

that students currently pay and the price that they would be willing to pay. However, when asked if the

price per gram doubled, students reported that they would not likely be willing to pay for the drug.

Students also reported that they would not be willing to pay more for legal recreational marijuana than

what they are already paying for illegal marijuana.

We recommend that this information be used by colleges and universities in America by

administration as an insight into their student populations’ lifestyle. It could be used by college

administration for use of policies within campus living as well. Also, it can be used as a beginning for

other researchers to use in expanding their knowledge on the legalization and perceptions of marijuana

in the United States.

For researchers who are interested in studying this topic further, we recommend that that a larger

time frame be used when pooling data. In doing so, there is a better chance to receive a greater amount

of response, thus getting a better understanding of actual student marijuana consumption. We also

think it may be beneficial to make sure that students from many different majors, organization, clubs,

and backgrounds be surveyed, to make sure that our sample is representative of the entire universities

student body. On a larger scale, maybe broadening the sample to many universities, or limiting

respondents just to applicants of the interested university, could allow a more accurate insight of

students of the interested university.

Appendices

Citations

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cancer-risk/

Devaney, T. ( 2015, February 4). Surgeon general: medical marijuana “can be helpful”.

Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://thehill.com/regulation/administration /231717-

surgeon-general-backs-medical-marijuana

Disabled World. (2015). Medical marijuana for pain and depression. Retrieved

February 10, 2015, from http://www.disabled-world.com/medical/

pharmaceutical/marijuana/#docs

Doorenbos, N. J. (2004). Development of natural products research at university of

mississippi. Economic Botany, 58(2), 172-178

Dreifus, C. (2008, December 22). Growing marijuana with government money.

Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12

/23/health/23conv.html?_r=0

Harvard University. (2005). The budgetary implications of marijuana prohibition. Jeffery

A. Miron. http://www.prohibitioncosts.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/ MironReport.pdf

Jared Robert Senseman, The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger. (2012, December 28).

Ole Miss home to medical marijuana lab. Retrieved February 8, 2015, from

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/12/28/medical-marijuana-lab-in-

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