Mixed messages in public policy. How public policies shift perception of harm for tobacco and marijuana consumption

Many youths participate in risky health behaviors, such as consuming tobacco, consuming alcohol, unprotected sex, driving without their seatbelt, and/or using illegal narcotics. Due to these externalities public policies have been developed and implemented in an attempt to influence individual behavior and improve the overall well being of society. These policies range from trivial regulation to outright prohibition. By identifying which variables are key influences in health risk behavior, marijuana policy makers have the opportunity to borrow from the successful policies anti-tobacco and public health officials have developed previously.;The purpose of this study is to compare and contrast public policies concerning tobacco and marijuana use, particularly as they relate to youth access and consumption and how these policies aid in shaping public perception of harm in individual consumption behavior. Currently, marijuana prohibition policies rest mainly on the federal level while tobacco regulation rests on the state and local level. A thorough examination of the federal "War on Drugs" policies juxtaposed with the varying state and local level tobacco regulations will allow one to better evaluate why tobacco policies have been successful in reducing tobacco consumption while anti-marijuana policies have enjoyed little success in reducing the rate of marijuana consumption, especially among youths.