A new study published in the journal Regional Science and Urban Economics found that medical marijuana dispensaries in Florida were associated with lower rates of some property crimes, but the effect depended heavily on how busy the dispensaries were and how much foot traffic already existed in the surrounding area.
Researchers from the University of Texas at El Paso examined dispensary locations across Florida over a 3-year period, matching exact storefront addresses with city block-level crime data. To better understand how dispensaries may influence nearby crime, the study also incorporated smartphone geopositional data to estimate customer volume and neighborhood foot traffic.
According to the study, the opening of high-volume dispensaries was followed by reductions in larceny, vehicle burglary and motor vehicle theft. The researchers say these declines were not seen across the board, however. Near low-volume dispensaries, they found no similar deterrent effect. In some lower-traffic areas, the opening of those dispensaries was instead associated with increases in larceny and motor vehicle theft.
The study used not-yet-open dispensary locations as a control group and applied a difference-in-differences model to compare changes over time. Because Florida requires broadly standardized security measures for dispensaries under state law, the researchers were able to focus more closely on differences tied to customer activity and surrounding neighborhood conditions.
The findings add nuance to the ongoing debate over how marijuana dispensaries affect public safety. Rather than showing a single statewide pattern, the study indicates that the impact can vary depending on the level of activity at a dispensary and the amount of regular foot traffic in the area. Researchers say that suggests neighborhood dynamics, particularly pedestrian activity, play a key role in whether a dispensary is linked to lower crime or a rise in certain offenses.
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