From “Just Say No” to “I Didn’t Inhale” to We Have “Bigger Fish to Fry”: The President, The Media, and Attitudes Toward Marijuana Legalization

ABSTRACT

Public opinion concerning marijuana legalization has varied greatly over time. While prior research suggests presidential drug rhetoric is related to public opinions on drugs, the relationship between the sitting president and attitudes specifically toward marijuana has not been explored. This study utilized data from the General Social Survey and the American Presidency Project to examine the relationship between the president and Americans’ attitudes toward marijuana legalization from 1975 through 2016. Findings indicate that confidence in the executive branch, fear of crime, and presidential drug rhetoric predict attitudes toward legalization despite controls for other factors such as estimated levels of marijuana use and arrests. These findings are discussed in the context of prior research that suggests presidential rhetoric, drug enforcement, and fear of crime may be related to American attitudes toward marijuana legalization.

Notes

¹ Individual measures for African American, other races, conservative, birth year, confidence in the press, confidence in the newspaper, confidence in television, television use, and fear of crime were found to significantly vary across state, and therefore had random slopes. Furthermore, slopes for African American, conservative, education at the bachelor’s degree or more, Protestant religion, birth year, and confidence in the executive branch of government were also allowed to vary across year.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Richard J. Stringer

Richard J. Stringer Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA. His research interests include drug & alcohol policy, courts & sentencing, policing, and advanced quantitative methods. His prior research has been funded by the U.S. Department of Justice and has appeared in outlets such as the Journal of Drug Issues, American Journal of Criminal Justice, and the Journal of Crime and Justice. He also serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Criminal Justice & Law.

Scott R. Maggard

Scott R. Maggard is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. He received his Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Florida in 2006. His research and teaching interests include substance use, drug policy, racial disparities in the criminal justice system, and juvenile justice. Prior to his current position at Old Dominion University, Dr. Maggard was a Court Research Associate at the National Center for State Courts in Williamsburg, Virginia. His research has appeared in Crime & Delinquency, Journal of Drug Issues, Deviant Behavior, and Justice Quarterly.