610. Who Wins and Who Loses Once the U.S. Legalizes Weed?

Some people want the new cannabis economy to look like the craft-beer movement. Others are hoping to build the Amazon of pot. And one expert would prefer a government-run monopoly. We listen in as they fight it out. (Part four of a four-part series.)

SOURCES:Jon Caulkins • , professor of operations research and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University. Adam Goers • , senior vice president of The Cannabist Company and chairperson of the Coalition for Cannabis Scheduling Reform. Yasmin Hurd • , director of the Addiction Institute at Mount Sinai. Jared Polis • , governor of Colorado. Ryan Stoa • , associate professor of law at Louisiana State University.

RESOURCES: • " Prevalence of and Trends in Current Cannabis Use Among U.S. Youth and Adults, 2013–2022 • ," by Delvon T. Mattingly, Maggie K. Richardson, and Joy L. Hart ( Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, • 2024). • " Colorado’s Weed Market Is Coming Down Hard and It’s Making Other States Nervous • ," by Mona Zhang ( Politico, • 2024). • " Reducing Alcohol Consumption, the Nordic Way: Alcohol Monopolies, Marketing Bans and Higher Taxation • ," by the World Health Organization (2023). • " Economic Benefits and Social Costs of Legalizing Recreational Marijuana • ," by Jason P. Brown, Elior Cohen, and Alison Felix ( Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Research Working Paper, • 2023). • " Competition in the Markets for Beer, Wine, and Spirits • ," by the United States Department of the Treasury (2022). • " Alcohol Monopolies • ," by Robin Room ( Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems, • 2021). • " Craft Beer Is the Strangest, Happiest Economic Story in America • ," by Derek Thompson ( The Atlantic, • 2018). • " Marijuana Discontinuation, Anxiety Symptoms, and Relapse to Marijuana • ," by Marcel O. Bonn-Miller and Rudolf H. Moos ( Addictive Behaviors, • 2009).

EXTRAS: • " Is America Switching from Booze to Weed? • " series by Freakonomics Radio • (2024). • " Why Do Your Eyeglasses Cost $1,000? • " by Freakonomics Radio • (2024). • " Should You Trust Private Equity to Take Care of Your Dog? • " by Freakonomics Radio • (2023). • " Is Dialysis a Test Case of Medicare for All? • " by Freakonomics Radio • (2021).