( NewNation ) — While marijuana is against federal law 54% of Americans reside in a state that allows recreational use of cannabis according to a analysis by the Pew Research Center.
According to the analysis, 74% of Americans reside in a state that allows marijuana use for medical and recreational purposes. 79% of Americans also live in a county that has at least one marijuana-dispensary.
According to an analysis, there are approximately 15,000 marijuana dispensaries located in the U.S.
California has 3,659 dispensaries, “more than twice the number of the next state closed.”
California has 99.5% of the marijuana dispensaries across the U.S.
Pew Research found that Los Angeles County had more dispensaries (1 481) than any other state except California.
Oklahoma has the most dispensaries per 100,000 people, with 36 shops.
One in five dispensaries are located within 20 miles from a state boundary. 29% of these border dispensaries border states with “less permissive marijuana laws.”
Pew gave this example: Indiana Kansas and Texas all have strict marijuana laws, but they are bordered with multiple states which have legalized marijuana for recreational or medical use. Within 20 miles of their borders, residents of one of these three states will find over 100 dispensaries.
In the early stages, there were concerns that marijuana dispensers would over-represent themselves in neighborhoods with low income. Pew’s study found that the situation was more nuanced.
The analysis showed that four states – Colorado, Connecticut Maryland and Virginia – have legalized medical and recreational marijuana. Median incomes in these areas are at least $20,000 less than in other areas of the state.
According to an analysis, in New York, New Hampshire and other states, median household incomes in areas where there are many dispensaries are about $20,000 higher than in areas without dispensaries.
