“I Feel Validated”: Participation in a Medical Cannabis Program in the Context of Legalized Recreational Use

Abstract

We examined the effects of California’s 2016 law legalizing cannabis for recreational use among young adult medical cannabis patients (MCP) and non-patient users (NPU). Three groups of young adult cannabis users (n = 30) were qualitatively interviewed in Los Angeles between 2020-21: current MCP (n = 3), who always had a medical cannabis recommendation, NPU (n = 6), who never had a recommendation, and MCP-to-NPU (n = 21), who had a recommendation in the past. MCP remained MCP due to greater acceptance of cannabis and lower prices afforded to MCP. MCP-to-NPU and NPU remained NPU due to increased acceptance of cannabis use within their community, greater legal security, and no compelling need for a medical cannabis recommendation. Price increases drove many to purchasing cannabis from unregulated black-market dispensaries. The legalization of cannabis for recreational use led to decisions to transition out of MCP status, destigmatization of cannabis use, increased prices of cannabis, and increased sourcing of cannabis from the black-market.