When people say things such as 80% of marijuana purchases are on the black market, how are they getting data for this?

Question

When people say things such as 80% of marijuana purchases are on the black market, how are they getting data for this?

In: Other

Answer 1

Asking people on anonymous polls if they are consumers and if so, where do they get it from.

For example, psychiatrists ask their patients if they consume psychoactive drugs because the medicine A they planned to prescribe might have secondary effects if the patient consumes drugs, so they would have to prescribe medicine B. As such, patients are expected to be sincere for their well being and because of doctor-patient confidentiality.

On the same way, they ask people on anonymous polls if the consume and how they got it and people are expected to be sincere, as its anonymous.

*Edit:* edited because it’s getting traction and I didn’t express properly the methodology, as some pointed out (changed “ask consumers” for “asking people if they are consumers and if so, which market they get it from”).