Kagel, John H., Raymond C. Battalio, and C. G. Miles. 1980. "Marihuana and Work Performance: Results from an Experiment." Journal of Human Resources 15(3):373-395.

Determining the relationship between marihuana and economic activity is an important factor in establishing social policy in this area. The effects of marihuana availability and consumption on production, hours worked, and output per hour are reported from an experimental microeconomy involving resident volunteer human subjects. The statistical analysis shows no effect of marihuana on total output or total hours worked for experimental as compared to control conditions, although marihuana use was generally associated with a simultaneous decision to engage in passive leisure activities in the period immediately following smoking. These results suggest a hypothesis about the general relationship between marihuana and economic activity that is used to integrate the results of several other studies with those reported here.

Kagel and Battalio are members of the Economics faculty at Texas A&M University. Miles was on the staff of the Drug Addiction Research Foundation until his retirement. This research was partially supported by NSF Grant GS 32057 and the Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Research Foundation of Ontario, Canada. Invaluable research assistance was provided by Jane McDougall, Frances Theodor, and A.M.M. Jamal. Mark Crain, the late O. B. Crawford, Jr., Tom Deaton, Gerry Dwyer, Clifford Sherry, and the editor of this Journal provided helpful comments on the analysis. C. G. Miles directed the research team conducting the experiments. All responsibility for errors and omissions rest with the first two authors.

© 2003 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

US ISSN 0022-166X

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