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- Creators: School of Life Sciences
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Description
Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit substance in the United States with over two million pounds seized annually and with a usage rate estimated at 19.8 million people in 2013 (SAMSHA, 2014). Currently there is a nationwide movement for the legalization of recreational marijuana via referendum at the state level. Three states and the District of Columbia have already adopted amendments legalizing marijuana and over a dozen more currently have pending ballots. This report explores what would be the impact of legalizing marijuana in Arizona through the examination of data from Colorado and other governmental sources. Using a benefit/cost analysis the data is used to determine what the effect the legalization of marijuana would have in Arizona. I next examined the moral arguments for legalization. Finally I propose a recommendation for how the issue of the legalization of recreational marijuana should be approached in Arizona.
ContributorsDiPietro, Samuel Miles (Author) / Kalika, Dale (Thesis director) / Lynk, Myles (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
In A Comparative Analysis of Indoor and Greenhouse Cannabis Cultivation Systems, the two most common systems for commercial cannabis cultivation are compared using an operational and capital expenditure model combined with a collection of relevant industry sources to ascertain conclusions about the two systems' relative competitiveness. The cannabis industry is one of the fastest growing nascent industries in the United States, and, as it evolves into a mature market, it will require more sophisticated considerations of resource deployment in order to maximize efficiency and maintain competitive advantage. Through drawing on leading assumptions by industry experts, we constructed a model of each system to demonstrate the dynamics of typical capital deployment and cost flow in each system. The systems are remarkably similar in many respects, with notable reductions in construction costs, electrical costs, and debt servicing for greenhouses. Although the differences are somewhat particular, they make up a large portion of the total costs and capital expenditures, causing a marked separation between the two systems in their attractiveness to operators. Besides financial efficiency, we examined quality control, security, and historical norms as relevant considerations for cannabis decision makers, using industry sources to reach conclusions about the validity of each of these concerns as a reason for resistance to implementation of greenhouse systems. In our opinion, these points of contention will become less pertinent with the technological and legislative changes surrounding market maturation. When taking into account the total mix of information, we conclude that the greenhouse system is positioned to become the preeminent method of production for future commercial cannabis cultivators.
ContributorsShouse, Corbin (Co-author) / Nichols, Nathaniel (Co-author) / Swenson, Dan (Thesis director) / Cassidy, Nancy (Committee member) / Feltham, Joe (Committee member) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The Cannabis plant has historical roots with human beings. The plant produces compounds called cannabinoids, which are responsible for the physiological affects of Cannabis and make it a research candidate for medicinal use. Analysis of the plant and its components will help build a better database that could be used to develop a complete roster of medicinal benefits. Research regarding the cellular protein receptors that bind the cannabinoids may not only help provide reasons explaining why the Cannabis plant could be medicinally relevant, but will also help explain how the receptors originated. The receptors may have been present in organisms before the present day Cannabis plant. So why would there be receptors that bind to cannabinoids? Searching for an endocannabinoid system could help explain the purpose of the cannabinoid receptors and their current structures in humans. Using genetic technologies we are able to take a closer look into the evolutionary history of cannabinoids and the receptors that bind them.
ContributorsSalasnek, Reed Samuel (Author) / Capco, David (Thesis director) / Mangone, Marco (Committee member) / Stump, Edmund (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
This study was designed to learn what students call various forms of cannabis. A survey was created with questions designed to understand students' knowledge of types of cannabis, methods of use, and potency. An introduction and methods section of the research paper is included.
ContributorsCollins, Ryleigh Anne (Author) / Meier, Madeline (Thesis director) / Perez, Marisol (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
Weed, pot, chronic, kaya, and kush are just a few names for one of the world’s most far-reaching and impactful substances. This course is designed with inclusive teaching devices for students to explore how the roots of economies, cultures, and histories have been intertwined with the subsistence of a plant. We will explore the biological and chemical nature of cannabis, historical accounts of human interactions with cannabis, production and industries, medicinal and recreational applications, legal and criminal ramifications, as well as future directions for legislation and economic opportunities. This class is intended to provide you with past research and facts, paired with coverage of events and movements happening today, so that you can make well-informed decisions for your future. The goal of this class is to motivate students to approach the topic of cannabis from various thought perspectives, so they can critically develop both life science knowledge and social science understandings regarding this polarizing subject. At the end of the course, students should be able to 1) Describe the basic anatomy and biology of cannabis plants, and the effects of psychoactive strains of cannabis on humans, 2) Explain the effects of cannabis on U.S. culture, as well as how U.S. culture has shaped the status of cannabis, 3) Differentiate evidence-based arguments from opinions and anecdotal positions, 4) Evaluate the interconnectedness of history, economics, criminal justice, and social contexts as they relate to cannabis, and 5) Demonstrate the ability to integrate evidence-based understandings into creating and disseminating knowledge through structured conversations and organized presentations.
ContributorsMitchell, Jordan (Author) / Hinde, Katie (Thesis director) / Regenold, David (Committee member) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution & Social Change (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Adult use of cannabis was legalized in Arizona on November 3, 2020. The goal of this thesis was to assess the distribution of licensed adult use (recreational) cannabis dispensaries in Arizona as it relates to area deprivation in the state. On June 30, 2021, the vast majority of licensed adult ust dispensaries (n=92/143) were located in Maricopa County, so our analyses focused only on Maricopa County. ArcGIS Pro was used to map the dispensaries and determine the local density of dispensaries in each Maricopa County block group. We used three complementary statistical analyses, which collectively showed that adult use cannabis dispensaries were disproportionately located in areas of higher socioeconomic deprivation in Maricopa County. These results may have implications for existing health disparities.The study was limited because we did not account for geospatial autocorrelation, we did not assess unlicensed dispensaries, and we did not control for zoning laws. In future studies we plan to account for all three of these limitations to better understand the placement of adult-use cannabis dispensaries within Arizona. Future studies will also compare these results to the distribution of off-premise alcohol outlets and cannabis-related hospitalizations in Arizona.
ContributorsJenks, Olivia (Author) / Meier, Madeline (Thesis director) / Boustead, Annie (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2022-05