South Dakota State University Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2018 Assessment of the Impacts of Marijuana Legalization in Sioux Falls, South Dakota Michael Lynch South Dakota State Univesity Follow this and additional works at: https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd Part of the Communication Commons, Criminology Commons, Rural Sociology Commons, and the Social Control, Law, Crime, and Deviance Commons Recommended Citation Lynch, Michael, "Assessment of the Impacts of Marijuana Legalization in Sioux Falls, South Dakota" (2018). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2627. https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/2627 This Dissertation - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACTS OF MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION IN SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA BY MICHAEL LYNCH A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Major in Sociology South Dakota State University 2018 iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I want to thank my mentor and committee chair, Julie Yingling. I am sincerely grateful for your expedient feedback, continual guidance, and supportive encouragement. I also appreciate the insight, education, and feedback my other committee members, Drs. Meredith Redlin, Jessica Schad, and Brian Graeb, contributed to this project. You have all made this process as painless and enjoyable as it possibly could have been! I also want to recognize the participants of this study who took this research as seriously as I have. Without your openness and willingness to share your valuable experiences with me, none of this would be possible. Your efforts for marijuana reform in the context of South Dakota are truly inspiring. Observing your tenacity for this movement has changed my life. I am so grateful for the efforts of Dr. Susan Conover of Dakota State University for tirelessly working to accommodate my teaching schedule over a four- year period so that I could pursue this dream. You have made this experience, and my life in South Dakota, so much more fulfilling! I would like to thank Dr. Benjamin Jones of Dakota State University for backing my efforts to earn this degree. Your trust in me has repeatedly validated my ability to juggle teaching and being a full- time student. I would also like to thank Susan Langner and Annette Miller . Our conversations kept me going through many of the personal, professional, and academic difficulties I faced while trying to earn this degree. iv To Ashley, thank you for always making sure I believe I can do anything. Your unshakable faith in me is like a second backbone. To my parents, your love and guidance are with me in whatever I pursue. Also to Leon Dwinga III, Justin Cook, Suleiman Okoth, Drs. Calvin Masilela and Hilary Staples, thank you for always being a foundation of encouragement and support as I make my way through life. Finally, I want to thank my brilliant classmates for helping me grow as a student and letting me learn beside you. v TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. viii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................... ix ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................ x CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................... 1 Statement of the ProBlem ........................................................................................................ 1 Nationwide Efforts .................................................................................................................................. 1 Criminology of Marijuana Legalization .......................................................................................... 4 Economics of Marijuana Legalization ............................................................................................. 6 Medical Uses of Marijuana ................................................................................................................... 6 Politics of Marijuana ............................................................................................................................... 7 Marijuana and Panic Theory .................................................................................................. 8 Marijuana Assessment .............................................................................................................. 9 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................................. 9 Theoretical Significance of This Study ............................................................................. 11 Brief Description of Research Design ............................................................................... 11 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................... 13 Social Impact Assessment and Marijuana Policy .......................................................... 13 Marijuana’s Measured Impacts .......................................................................................... 15 Criminological Impacts ...................................................................................................................... 15 Economic Impacts ................................................................................................................................ 18 Medical Impacts .................................................................................................................................... 19 Political Impacts .................................................................................................................................... 23 Marijuana’s Context in South Dakota ........................................................................................... 24 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................... 28 Research Design ...................................................................................................................... 28 Social Impact Assessment ................................................................................................................. 28 Triangulation ............................................................................................................................ 29 Media Analysis ....................................................................................................................................... 29 Impact Report Analysis ...................................................................................................................... 30 Interview Sampling .............................................................................................................................. 32 Data Collection Instrument and Procedure ................................................................... 36 Analysis ....................................................................................................................................... 37 CHAPTER 4: MEDIA ANALYSIS ................................................................................... 39 MARIJUANA FRAMING: MORAL PANIC ............................................................................. 39 Marijuana Moral Panic .......................................................................................................... 39 Categories of a Panic ........................................................................................................................... 40 Media Framing ......................................................................................................................... 41 Economic Benefits ................................................................................................................................ 41 Marijuana Cultivation ......................................................................................................................... 43 vi Marijuana Possession ......................................................................................................................... 44 Marijuana Distribution ....................................................................................................................... 45 Offender Typification ............................................................................................................. 46 Concern ..................................................................................................................................................... 47 Hostility .................................................................................................................................................... 49 Consensus ................................................................................................................................................ 50 Official