title: Correlates of Amount Spent on Marijuana Buds During a Discrete Purchase at Medical Marijuana Dispensaries: Results from a Pilot Study.
abstract: Marijuana purchasing behaviors vary by the purchaser's individual characteristics; however, little is known about patients' purchasing behaviors when buying from medical marijuana dispensaries (MMDs). Our objective was to explore whether patient characteristics were associated with amount spent during one financial transaction at medical marijuana dispensaries. We conducted a pilot study of four purposively sampled MMD locations in Long Beach, California, in 2012. A total of 132 medical marijuana patients (33 patients per dispensary) participated in an exit survey about their demographic characteristics, conditions for their medical marijuana recommendation, amount spent at the dispensary, and cross-streets of where they lived. The sample reported amounts spent on discrete purchases of marijuana buds averaging $40.82 (ranging from $10 to $255). Multivariate regression analyses indicated average amount spent differed significantly by patient age and condition. An increase in 10 years of age was associated with a 10% higher amount spent. Receiving a recommendation for anxiety and/or sleeping problems or other nonspecified conditions was related to higher discrete purchase amounts than chronic pain. This pilot suggests that variations in patient purchasing behaviors from MMDs exist. These purchase behaviors can provide insight into variations in how patients use dispensaries, consume products, and allocate personal resources.
authors.affiliation: a Assistant Professor, School of Social Welfare , University of Kansas , Lawrence , KS , USA.
authors.forename: Nancy Jo
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Kepple
authors.affiliation: b Research Assistant, Department of Social Welfare, Luskin School of Public Affairs , University of California Los Angeles , Los Angeles , CA , USA.
authors.forename: Elycia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mulholland
authors.affiliation: c Professor, Department of Social Welfare, Luskin School of Public Affairs , University of California Los Angeles , Los Angeles , CA , USA.|d Faculty Affiliate, California Center for Population Research , University of California Los Angeles , Los Angeles , CA , USA.
authors.forename: Bridget
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Freisthler
authors.affiliation: e Research Assistant, California Center for Population Research , University of California Los Angeles , Los Angeles , CA , USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schaper
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002140:California; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D064086:Medical Marijuana / Q000191:economics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D064086:Medical Marijuana
keywords: Discrete purchase; dispensary; medical conditions; medical marijuana