TY - JOUR
T1 - Policy and political learning
T2 - The development of medical marijuana policies in the states
AU - Mallinson, Daniel J.
AU - Lee Hannah, A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CSF Associates: Publius, Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Policy diffusion studies often infer that learning occurs, but statistical analyses cannot demonstrate it definitively. The spread of medical marijuana offers the opportunity to take a closer look at whether policy and political learning occur during diffusion. An increasing number of states have adopted medical marijuana policies in defiance of federal prohibition and in the space created by federal inactivity. Furthermore, early adopting states have adapted their programs to account for changes in the industry and to coincide with recreational marijuana programs. This article sheds light on how the laws have evolved over time due to policy learning, political learning, and local adaptation. Specifically, we review how states have incorporated best practices from others (policy learning) and how the laws have been repackaged in more politically conservative states (political learning). Finally, we show how states adapt to medical marijuana laws by using precedents from the regulation of other industries.
AB - Policy diffusion studies often infer that learning occurs, but statistical analyses cannot demonstrate it definitively. The spread of medical marijuana offers the opportunity to take a closer look at whether policy and political learning occur during diffusion. An increasing number of states have adopted medical marijuana policies in defiance of federal prohibition and in the space created by federal inactivity. Furthermore, early adopting states have adapted their programs to account for changes in the industry and to coincide with recreational marijuana programs. This article sheds light on how the laws have evolved over time due to policy learning, political learning, and local adaptation. Specifically, we review how states have incorporated best practices from others (policy learning) and how the laws have been repackaged in more politically conservative states (political learning). Finally, we show how states adapt to medical marijuana laws by using precedents from the regulation of other industries.
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U2 - 10.1093/PUBLIUS/PJAA006
DO - 10.1093/PUBLIUS/PJAA006
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85089708079
SN - 0048-5950
VL - 50
SP - 344
EP - 369
JO - Publius
JF - Publius
IS - 3
ER -