Highs and Lows of Cannabis Decriminalization: Twitter Analysis and Ethical and Regulatory Implications for Retailing and Marketing

Abstract

We examined public reactions to the U.S. House vote to decriminalize cannabis at the federal level. Using Twitter data, we analyzed public sentiment, top hashtags used, and underlying themes in the discourse. Users with a wide range of profiles were engaged in this chatter, predominantly expressing positive sentiment with various thematic hashtags. The conversations were centered around five major topics: commentary on the House vote, legalization impediment in the Senate, expungement of marijuana-related criminal records, medical use of marijuana, and social and economic impact of the bill. We discussed ethical and regulatory implications for retailing and marketing.

Keywords:

• Twitter
• cannabis
• decriminalization
• legalization
• marketing