Socioeconomic and Political Correlates Influencing Marijuana Legalization Across the States in America: Impact on Adolescents’ Health and Well-Being

Abstract States are cautiously adopting strategies while legalizing marijuana in a policy context consisting of multi-layered sociopolitical systems. At both local and national levels, marijuana legalization remains at the center of debate in the policy landscape of American politics. Advocacy groups on both sides emphasizing its implications for public health and community well-being, particularly among youth and adolescents. This study applies social determinants of health and systems perspectives to examine the aggregate effects of six socioenvironmental, political, and economic predictors —including statewide prevalence of marijuana use and median household income—on marijuana legality scores. Using linear regression and one-way ANOVA analyses, the findings reveal a statistically significant relationship between these predictors and state-level legalization policy outcomes, supporting the hypothesized associations. The results suggest that, without a supportive policy context, marijuana legalization may not produce intended health benefits for the youth and the community. These findings underscore the importance of understanding adolescent marijuana use through a holistic lens that integrates micro-, mezzo-, and macro-level socioenvironmental and political systems. Implications for policy development and directions for future research are discussed.