Population and Neighborhood Correlates of Cannabis Dispensary Locations in Oklahoma

Abstract

Background: Cannabis dispensaries have proliferated exponentially in Oklahoma since the state legalized medical cannabis in 2018. Oklahoma is unique from many other legalized states given its high number of lower income, rural, and uninsured residents, who may seek medical cannabis as an alternative to traditional medical treatment. Methods: This study examined demographic and neighborhood characteristics associated with dispensary density (n = 1,046 census tracts) in Oklahoma. Results: Compared to census tracts with no dispensaries, those with at least one dispensary had a higher proportion of uninsured individuals living below the poverty level and a greater number of hospitals and pharmacies. Almost half (42.35%) of census tracts with at least one dispensary were classified as a rural locale. In fully adjusted models, percent uninsured, percent of household rentals, and the number of schools and pharmacies were positively associated with greater number of cannabis dispensaries, while the number of hospitals was negatively associated. In the best fitting interaction models, dispensaries were predominant in areas with a higher percentage of uninsured residents and no pharmacies, suggesting that cannabis retailers may capitalize on the health needs of communities with limited healthcare outlets or access to medical treatment. Conclusions: Policies and regulatory actions that seek to decrease disparities in dispensary locations should be considered. Future studies should examine whether people living in communities with a scarcity of health resources are more likely to associate cannabis with medical uses than those living in communities with more resources.

Dispensaries and Medical Marijuana Certifications and Indications: Unveiling the Geographic Connections in Pennsylvania, USA

“…It may be that those communities with less access to MMJ dispensaries also have less access to specialty care and treatment that was not captured in our analyses. In Oklahoma, for example, Cohn and colleagues [ 12 ] reported that census tracts with at least one dispensary (vs. none) had a greater number of hospitals and pharmacies. Limited access to traditional health care for these conditions could motivate people living in such communities to seek MMJ as an alternative treatment option or could make clinicians more likely to certify for conditions that lack evidence supporting the use of MMJ (i.e., would be better managed in a more traditional health care setting).…”

“…Consistent with studies in California and Colorado, we did not observe an association between median income and geographic access to MMJ dispensaries [ 13 , 14 ]. However, in Oklahoma, higher proportions of residents living poverty and uninsured were associated with geographic access to MMJ dispensaries [ 12 ]. In New York State [ 11 ], census tracts with a higher proportion of residents with bachelor’s degrees or higher were more likely to have at last one certifying provider than those with less education.…”

“…Studies in other states have reported inconsistent findings for associations between racial and ethnic composition and geographic access to MMJ dispensaries [ 11 , 13 , 14 ]. Better geographic access has been positively associated with higher proportions of Hispanic residents in California [ 13 ], but not in Colorado [ 14 ] or Oklahoma [ 12 ]. In Colorado, there was no association between dispensary access and proportion of Black residents [ 14 ].…”

“…Different community characteristics have been associated with geographic access to MMJ dispensaries, but results have differed across states. In New York State, for example, MMJ services were least available in neighborhoods with highly educated residents [ 11 ], while in Oklahoma census tracts with at least one MMJ dispensary had a higher proportion of uninsured individuals living below the poverty level [ 12 ]. Unlike in these states, in California and Colorado studies did not find an association between socioeconomic status and MMJ dispensary locations [ 13 , 14 ].…”

Investigating Cannabis-Use Among Students Attending High Schools Within the Cherokee Nation Reservation 2017 and 2019

“…Further, in 2022, the state legislature placed a pause on new business licenses through August 1, 2024. Currently, the number of dispensaries in Oklahoma is greater than in any other state that allows medical cannabis [ 2 ]. Oklahoma has surpassed the number of dispensaries in California [ 3 ]; a significantly larger state, with over 39.2 million people compared to Oklahoma’s population of 4.0 million [ 2 ].…”