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Long-Run Effects of Childhood Exposure to Medical Marijuana Laws on Education and Labor Market Outcomes

Author

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  • Maorui Yang

    (Southwestern University)

  • Han Yu

    (University of Memphis)

Abstract

We investigate the long-run effects of medical marijuana laws (MMLs) on the educational attainment and labor market outcomes of individuals who experienced childhood exposure to these laws, utilizing data from the American Community Survey between 2000 and 2019. We apply the Borusyak et al. (2021) imputation estimator to address potential biases commonly encountered in a conventional difference-in-differences model with two-way fixed effects caused by staggered timings and heterogeneous effects in treatment. The results demonstrate a significant and negative impact of medical marijuana laws on various aspects of individuals’ educational and occupational achievements. Specifically, we observe adverse effects on years of schooling, college attendance, employment, and income. Furthermore, our findings reveal the presence of heterogeneity in these effects based on gender and race. To further explore the mechanisms through which MMLs affect these individual outcomes, we explore several potential factors. Our results suggest that MMLs may affect long-term outcomes by increasing drug consumption and the propensity of experiencing alcohol use disorder among both children and adults.

Suggested Citation

  • Maorui Yang & Han Yu, 2024. "Long-Run Effects of Childhood Exposure to Medical Marijuana Laws on Education and Labor Market Outcomes," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 45(4), pages 565-597, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jlabre:v:45:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s12122-024-09365-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s12122-024-09365-w
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Medical marijuana laws; Educational achievement; Labor market outcomes;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • K32 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Energy, Environmental, Health, and Safety Law

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