Date of Award

2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Economics

First Advisor

Qi Ge

Abstract

This paper uses a state-level alcohol sales dataset to analyze how marijuana legalization affects alcohol consumption. I employ a difference-in-differences model to investigate the relationship between alcohol and marijuana in the short-term and long-term. In addition, marijuana legalization effects are estimated for different alcohol types – beer, wine and spirits. Overall, the results indicate a negative, yet insignificant relationship between the two narcotic drugs. There is not enough evidence to firmly conclude substitutability or complementarity of the two goods, therefore, leaving the debate unsolved.

Included in

Economics Commons

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