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Couch‐Locked With the Munchies: Effects of Recreational Marijuana Laws on Exercise and Nutrition

Thomas Wilk et al.

Journal of Policy Analysis and Management2026https://doi.org/10.1002/pam.70080article
AJG 3ABDC A
Weight
0.37

Abstract

As recreational marijuana laws (RML) expanded marijuana access over the last decade, very little is known about the impact of RML on two costly social behaviors that may arise as a consequence of marijuana consumption: unhealthy eating (i.e., munchies) and sedentary lifestyle (i.e., couch‐lock). Using NielsenIQ Consumer Panel data, we find that the passage of RML led to an increase in the number of grocery store trips that involved “junk food,” as well as the amount of spending. This effect is particularly driven by an increase in ice cream, chips, and candy. Using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), we find that the passage of RML also led to a decrease in exercise, particularly driven by a reduction in cardio, and suggestive evidence of more time spent at home. These results suggest that RMLs have an adverse effect on health through unhealthy eating and reduced physical activity, posing a significant public health challenge to diet‐ and lifestyle‐related chronic conditions.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/pam.70080

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@article{thomas2026,
  title        = {{Couch‐Locked With the Munchies: Effects of Recreational Marijuana Laws on Exercise and Nutrition}},
  author       = {Thomas Wilk et al.},
  journal      = {Journal of Policy Analysis and Management},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/pam.70080},
}

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Evidence weight

0.37

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.16 × 0.4 = 0.06
M · momentum0.53 × 0.15 = 0.08
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.