From “Just Say No” to “I Didn’t Inhale” to We Have “Bigger Fish to Fry”: The President, The Media, and Attitudes Toward Marijuana Legalization
Department
Sociology and Criminal Justice
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2021
Abstract
Public opinion concerning marijuana legalization has varied greatly over time. While prior research suggests presidential drug rhetoric is related to public opinions on drugs, the relationship between the sitting president and attitudes specifically toward marijuana has not been explored. This study utilized data from the General Social Survey and the American Presidency Project to examine the relationship between the president and Americans’ attitudes toward marijuana legalization from 1975 through 2016. Findings indicate that confidence in the executive branch, fear of crime, and presidential drug rhetoric predict attitudes toward legalization despite controls for other factors such as estimated levels of marijuana use and arrests. These findings are discussed in the context of prior research that suggests presidential rhetoric, drug enforcement, and fear of crime may be related to American attitudes toward marijuana legalization.
Journal Title
Deviant Behavior
Journal ISSN
01639625
Volume
42
Issue
1
First Page
112
Last Page
129
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1080/01639625.2019.1653483