The third column of Table 1 presents the individual odds of past-year marijuana use and abuse/dependence, obtained as odds ratio estimates from our multi-level regression models. Using NESARC, the individual odds of past-year marijuana use differed between respondents who lived in states with and without medical marijuana laws. The odds of marijuana use in the past year were 1.92 times higher (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.49, 2.47; p<0.0001) among residents of states with rather than without medical marijuana laws. The individual odds of marijuana abuse/dependence also differed between respondents who lived in states with and without medical marijuana laws. The odds of marijuana abuse/dependence were 1.81 times higher (95% CI: 1.22, 2.67; p=0.0040) among residents of states that had legalized medical marijuana. However, when marijuana abuse/dependence was examined among marijuana users, the prevalence was very similar in states with and without medical marijuana laws, and the odds of abuse/dependence did not differ significantly.
