Recreational marijuana legalization and college student use: Early evidence

•No literature has yet assessed the impact of recreational legalization on college students' marijuana use.•Probability of marijuana use by students increased after recreational legalization.•Frequency of marijuana use by students increased after recreational legalization.•Increase is especially large for females and for Black and Hispanic students.

We analyze marijuana use by college undergraduates before and after legalization of recreational marijuana. Using survey data from the National College Health Assessment, we show that students at Washington State University experienced a significant increase in marijuana use after legalization. This increase is larger than would be predicted by national trends. The change is strongest among females, Black students, and Hispanic students. The increase for underage students is as much as for legal-age students. We find no corresponding changes in the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs.