Marijuana, also known as weed, cannabis, pot, or grass, is a plant that contains psychoactive compounds that can alter the mood, perception, and cognition of the user. Marijuana is illegal for recreational use in most states in the U.S., but some states have legalized it for medical or adult use.
Pennsylvania is one of the states that allows the use of marijuana for medical purposes, but not for recreational purposes. However, this does not mean that Pennsylvanians do not consume weed for non-medical reasons. In fact, according to a recent report, one of the counties in Pennsylvania has the highest rate of weed consumption in the entire country.
How is weed consumption measured?
There are different ways to measure how much weed people consume, such as surveys, sales data, or waste water analysis. However, each method has its limitations and challenges, such as underreporting, overestimating, or sampling bias.
One of the most reliable and objective ways to measure weed consumption is to use satellite imagery and machine learning to estimate the area of outdoor cannabis cultivation. This method was used by a team of researchers from the University of Kentucky, who published their findings in the journal Remote Sensing in 2020.
The researchers used high-resolution satellite images from Google Earth to identify and measure the area of outdoor cannabis cultivation in the U.S. from 2012 to 2018. They also used a machine learning algorithm to classify the images into cannabis and non-cannabis pixels, based on the spectral and spatial characteristics of the plants.
They then calculated the average yield of cannabis per square meter, based on previous studies, and estimated the total production of cannabis in each state and county. They also compared their results with the population and income data of each county, to calculate the per capita consumption and expenditure of cannabis.
Which county has the highest rate of weed consumption?
The researchers found that the total area of outdoor cannabis cultivation in the U.S. increased by 35% from 2012 to 2018, reaching 4.6 million square meters. The total production of cannabis also increased by 42%, reaching 14,000 metric tons. The states with the largest area and production of cannabis were California, Oregon, Washington, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
However, the states with the highest per capita consumption and expenditure of cannabis were not the same as the ones with the largest production. The researchers found that the highest per capita consumption and expenditure of cannabis in the U.S. were in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, with 28.8 kilograms and $7,334 per person per year, respectively.
Clearfield County is a rural county in central Pennsylvania, with a population of about 80,000 people. It is one of the counties that has legalized medical marijuana in Pennsylvania, but not recreational marijuana. However, according to the researchers, Clearfield County has a large and hidden outdoor cannabis cultivation industry, that supplies not only the local market, but also the neighboring states.
The researchers estimated that Clearfield County had an area of 1.2 million square meters of outdoor cannabis cultivation in 2018, which accounted for 26% of the total area in the U.S. The production of cannabis in Clearfield County was also estimated to be 3,800 metric tons, which accounted for 27% of the total production in the U.S. The researchers attributed the high rate of weed consumption in Clearfield County to the availability, affordability, and quality of the locally grown cannabis.
What are the implications of the findings?
The findings of the study have several implications for the policy makers, law enforcement, and public health officials in Pennsylvania and other states. The study shows that the legal status of marijuana does not necessarily reflect the actual consumption and production of the substance in a given area.
The study also shows that the outdoor cannabis cultivation industry is a significant source of income and employment for some rural communities, but also a potential source of environmental and social problems, such as deforestation, water pollution, crime, and violence.
The study suggests that the authorities need to monitor and regulate the outdoor cannabis cultivation industry, and to address the demand and supply of marijuana in a comprehensive and evidence-based manner.
Conclusion
Marijuana is a widely used and controversial substance in the U.S., with different legal and social attitudes across the states. A recent study used satellite imagery and machine learning to measure the area and production of outdoor cannabis cultivation in the U.S., and to estimate the per capita consumption and expenditure of cannabis in each state and county.
The study found that the highest rate of weed consumption in the U.S. was in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, a rural county that has a large and hidden outdoor cannabis cultivation industry. The study has implications for the policy makers, law enforcement, and public health officials, who need to monitor and regulate the outdoor cannabis cultivation industry, and to address the demand and supply of marijuana in a comprehensive and evidence-based manner.