Scholarship & Research
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Item The repeal of Montana's medical marijuana act and traffic fatalities(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2020) Lantz, Scott Bryan; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Mark AndersonOver the last several years, marijuana legalization has become a popular piece of state legislation. While most legislation is focused on the passage of these laws for marijuana use, Montana, in 2011, rescinded a previously passed medical marijuana law with Senate Bill 423. This thesis examines the relationship between rescinding a medical marijuana law and traffic fatalities, one of the leading causes of death in America, in Montana after Senate Bill 423 was passed. I test for a causal effect using a synthetic control approach along with a weighted regression using data from the Fatal Analysis and Reporting System with data from 2001-2017. I find that the synthetic control groups saw similar patterns in traffic fatalities despite not rescinding a medical marijuana law. The weighted regression analysis also shows that there is no statistical difference in traffic fatalities after the policy in Montana.Item The political economy of medical marijuana(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2014) Elsea, David Darlington; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Mark AndersonThe purpose of this research is to provide insight into the political economy of medical marijuana laws and the role diverse interest groups play in shaping drug regulation. This research tests the claims of marijuana activists that asset forfeiture and lobbying of law enforcement groups has impeded the relaxation of marijuana regulation. This is accomplished by examining the effect of law enforcement collective bargaining and the proportion of seized assets returned to law enforcement agencies on the passage of medical marijuana laws between 1990 and 2010.