Has COVID-19 Changed Marijuana Use in the United States?

Abstract

Pandemic-related stress, depression, and anxiety might be important motivations for marijuana use. In this paper, we study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the use of marijuana among people aged 12 and older in the United States. We use data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and different econometric models to investigate this impact on national and state levels. We also consider the impact of the pandemic on the use of other illicit drugs such as heroin and methamphetamine. We find evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in marijuana use at both state and national levels.