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Effects of legalized cannabis

November 30, 2023

The use of cannabis as a recreational drug has been outlawed in many countries for several decades. As a result of long-fought legalization efforts, several countries such as Uruguay and Canada, as well as several states in the US, have legalized the production, sale, possession, and recreational and/or medical usage of cannabis. The broad legalization of cannabis in this fashion can have numerous effects on the economy and society in which it is legalized.[citation needed]

A sign supporting marijuana legalization at the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza in Eugene, Oregon

Region edit

Canada edit

See Cannabis in Canada.

United States edit

News report from Voice of America about businesses related to cannabis in the United States. Aired 23 September 2015

A 2015 study found that medical marijuana legalization increased use and abuse by those under and over the age of 21.[1] A 2017 study found that frequency of marijuana use by students increased significantly after recreational legalization and that increase was especially large for females and for Black and Hispanic students.[2]

A 2017 study found that the introduction of medical marijuana laws caused a reduction in violent crime in Americans states that border Mexico: "The reduction in crime is strongest for counties close to the border (less than 350km), and for crimes that relate to drug trafficking. In addition, we find that [medical marijuana laws] in inland states lead to a reduction in crime in the nearest border state. Our results are consistent with the theory that decriminalization of the production and distribution of marijuana leads to a reduction in violent crime in markets that are traditionally controlled by Mexican drug trafficking organisations."[3]

A 2020 study found that junk food sales increased between 3.2 and 4.5 percent in states that had legalized cannabis.[4]

A 2022 study found that legalization had led to a 20% increase in use of cannabis in the US.[5]

Pharmaceutical companies had lower returns.[6]

The legalization of marijuana has also created a decrease in the risk perception of the drug among adolescents. Because the drug is legalized, the perceived risks of using that drug go down. This can be detrimental especially factoring in that the negative effects of marijuana are heightened during adolescent use. This effect can be seen in adults as well, and with legalization, the normalization of marijuana will become further ingrained in American culture.

Looking back to 2019, the US gained a total of 1.7 billion dollars in tax revenue due to the legalization of marijuana. In 2021, that number more than doubled to 3.7 billion dollars[7]. The increase in tax revenue being a driving factor in the legalization of marijuana is similar to the effects of the repeal of prohibition. After prohibition was abolished, the percentage of federal government revenue coming from alcohol increased about 7% in the US[8]. This additional stream of revenue was especially important during a time of recession, similar to the economic landscape we see today. With the legalization of marijuana, the government is looking to capitalize on these same benefits.

Legalization is anticipated to reduce the resources expended on arrests and prosecution for marijuana-related crimes. A 2007 analysis found that legalization could result in a potential savings of $10.7 billion per year.[9] A 2010 report predicted that full marijuana legalization could save the United States more than $13 billion a year, with $8 billion of that amount resulting from no longer having to enforce prohibition.[10]

The legalization of marijuana may create new job opportunities. The current industry supports nearly 430,000 full-time jobs, however it is projected that that number could rise to over 1.75 million jobs in the near future[11]. With over 100,000 jobs created in 2021, there is about a 33% increase from the previous year. To put that into perspective, there is only a projected 8% increase in jobs in the business and financial sector[12].

If marijuana becomes legal on the federal level, that would also open up investment opportunities for Americans and people around the world as more companies will be listed on US stock exchanges. This not only allows for more investment opportunities, but in turn raises capital for those companies listed on the exchanges, furthering the growth of the industry. This is important as a growing industry is a common target for savvy investors.   

Colorado edit

News report by Voice of America about the business effect of cannabis in Colorado, with 700 million dollars in sales

In Colorado, effects since 2014 include increased state revenues,[13] violent crime decreased,[14][15] and an increase in homeless population.[16] One Colorado hospital has received a 15% increase in babies born with THC in their blood.[17]

Since legalization, public health and law enforcement officials in Colorado have grappled with a number of issues, serving as a model for policy problems that come with legalization. Marijuana-related hospital visits have nearly doubled between 2011, prior to legalization, and 2014.[18] Top public health administrators in Colorado have cited the increased potency of today's infused products, often referred to as "edibles", as a cause for concern. They have also highlighted the risk that edibles pose to children, as they are often undistinguishable from ordinary foods once they are removed from their packaging.[19] Youth usage has also been a major aspect of the debate surrounding marijuana legalization and a concern for state officials. Overall youth usage rates have increased, although not enough to be deemed statistically significant.[20] Looking at students in the eighth, tenth, and twelfth grades, a survey study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that usage rates had not increased among any of the different age groups in Colorado, although statistically significant increases in usage rates amongst eighth and tenth graders were reported in Washington.[21]

Oregon edit

Oregon legalized cannabis in November 2014. Effects have included an increase in cannabis-related calls to the Oregon state poison center,[22] an increase in perception among youth that Marijuana use is harmful,[22] a decrease in arrest rates for cannabis related offenses,[22] stores sold $250 million in cannabis products which resulted in $70 million in state tax revenue (higher than a predicted $36 million in revenue),[23] 10% decrease in violent crime, and 13% drop in murder rate.[23]

Washington D.C. edit

Washington D.C. legalized cannabis in 2015. Cannabis possession arrests decreased 98% from 2014 to 2015 and all cannabis offenses dropped by 85%.[24]

Uruguay edit

Effects of cannabis legalization in Uruguay since 2013 include other countries in the region loosening laws concerning cannabis and lower costs of illegal cannabis.[25] The percentage of female prisoners has fallen.[26]

See also edit

  • Cannabis rights
  • Drug liberalization
  • Drug Policy Alliance
  • Green rush
  • Harm reduction
  • Legality of cannabis by country
  • Legality of cannabis
  • Legality of the War on Drugs
  • National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
  • White market

    • References edit

    1. ^ Pacula, Rosalie L.; Powell, David; Heaton, Paul; Sevigny, Eric L. (2015). "Assessing the Effects of Medical Marijuana Laws on Marijuana Use: The Devil is in the Details". Journal of Policy Analysis and Management. Wiley. 34 (1): 7–31. doi:10.1002/pam.21804. eISSN 1520-6688. PMC 4315233. PMID 25558490.
    2. ^ Miller, Austin M.; Rosenman, Robert; Cowan, Benjamin W. (December 2017). "Recreational marijuana legalization and college student use: Early evidence". SSM - Population Health. Elsevier. 3: 649–657. doi:10.1016/j.ssmph.2017.08.001. ISSN 2352-8273. PMC 5769109. PMID 29349253.
    3. ^ Gavrilova, Evelina; Kamada, Takuma; Zoutman, Floris (2017). "Is Legal Pot Crippling Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations? The Effect of Medical Marijuana Laws on US Crime". The Economic Journal. 129 (617): 375–407. doi:10.1111/ecoj.12521. hdl:11250/274521. ISSN 1468-0297.
    4. ^ Baggio, Michele; Chong, Alberto (2020-12-01). "Recreational marijuana laws and junk food consumption". Economics & Human Biology. 39: 100922. doi:10.1016/j.ehb.2020.100922. ISSN 1570-677X. PMID 32992092. S2CID 222146085.
    5. ^ "Legalizing recreational cannabis in the U.S. has increased frequency of use by 20%". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
    6. ^ Bednarek, Ziemowit; Doremus, Jacqueline M.; Stith, Sarah S. (2022-08-31). "U.S. cannabis laws projected to cost generic and brand pharmaceutical firms billions". PLOS ONE. 17 (8): e0272492. Bibcode:2022PLoSO..1772492B. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0272492. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 9432746. PMID 36044436.
    7. ^ "The Economic Benefits of Legalizing Marijuana". Investopedia. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    8. ^ Boudreaux, Donald J. (2008-01-01). "Alcohol, Prohibition, and the Revenuers | Donald J. Boudreaux". fee.org. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    9. ^ Gettman, Jon (2007). "Lost Taxes and Other Costs of Marijuana Laws" (PDF). Bulletin of Cannabis Reform. 4. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
    10. ^ Miron, Jeffrey A. "The Budgetary Implications of Drug Prohibition" (PDF). Harvard University Department of Economics. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
    11. ^ Herrington, A. J. "New Cannabis Jobs Report Reveals Marijuana Industry's Explosive Employment Growth". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    12. ^ Herrington, A. J. "New Cannabis Jobs Report Reveals Marijuana Industry's Explosive Employment Growth". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
    13. ^ "The Unexpected Side Effects of Legalizing Weed". Newsweek. 6 June 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
    14. ^ Reporter, Matt Ferner National; Post, The Huffington (17 July 2014). "If Legal Marijuana Was Supposed To Cause More Crime, It's Not Doing A Very Good Job". Huffington Post. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
    15. ^ Healy, Jack (1 June 2014). "After 5 Months of Sales, Colorado Sees the Downside of a Legal High". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
    16. ^ Gurman, Sadie (24 December 2014). "Why legal marijuana swells Denver's homeless population". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
    17. ^ "The Pot Vote". CBS News.
    18. ^ "The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado: The Impact" (PDF). Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.
    19. ^ Miller, Joshua (February 22, 2016). "From Colorado: Glimpse of Life After Marijuana". Boston Globe.
    20. ^ Ingraham, Christopher (2016-10-13). "Here's how legal pot changed Colorado and Washington". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
    21. ^ Cerdá, Magdalena; Wall, Melanie; Feng, Tianshu; Keyes, Katherine M.; Sarvet, Aaron; Schulenberg, John; O’Malley, Patrick M.; Pacula, Rosalie Liccardo; Galea, Sandro (2017-02-01). "Association of State Recreational Marijuana Laws With Adolescent Marijuana Use". JAMA Pediatrics. 171 (2): 142–149. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.3624. ISSN 2168-6203. PMC 5365078. PMID 28027345.
    22. ^ a b c https://public.health.oregon.gov/PreventionWellness/marijuana/Documents/oha-8509-marijuana-report.pdf[bare URL PDF]
    23. ^ a b Swanberg, Conor (7 July 2015). "One Year Later, Here Are the Effects Legalizing Marijuana Has Had in Washington State". Retrieved 29 October 2016.
    24. ^ "Opinion | on D.C.'s one-year anniversary with legalized marijuana, work remains". The Washington Post.
    25. ^ "Uruguay's Year In Marijuana: 3 Successes, 3 Burning Questions - NBC News". NBC News. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
    26. ^ "Uruguay marijuana legalization one year later". 26 March 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2016.

    Further reading edit

    • Angela Dills; Sietse Goffard; Jeffrey Miron; Erin Partin (February 2, 2021), The Effect of State Marijuana Legalizations: 2021 Update, Cato Institute, POLICY ANALYSIS NO. 908
    • Greg ROSALSKY (March 16, 2021), "The Data On Legalizing Weed", Planet Money, NPR
    • German Lopez (November 13, 2019), "A new study found marijuana legalization leads to more problematic use", Vox, The lead researcher says her study isn't meant to advocate against marijuana legalization, but inform it.
    • Erin J. Farley; Stan Orchowsky (July 2019), Measuring the Criminal Justice System Impacts of Marijuana Legalization and Decriminalization Using State Data, United States Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs, NCJ Number 253137, Analyses of the available data suggests that: 1. legalizing the recreational use of marijuana resulted in fewer marijuana related arrests and court cases; 2. legalizing marijuana did not have a noticeable impact on indicators in states that bordered those that legalized; and 3. there were no noticeable indications of an increase in arrests related to transportation or trafficking offenses in states along the northern or southern borders.
    • Liberty Vittert (April 19, 2019). "Here's what the numbers show about the impact of legal marimuana". MarketWatch.

    November 30, 2023
    effects, legalized, cannabis, cannabis, recreational, drug, been, outlawed, many, countries, several, decades, result, long, fought, legalization, efforts, several, countries, such, uruguay, canada, well, several, states, have, legalized, production, sale, pos. The use of cannabis as a recreational drug has been outlawed in many countries for several decades As a result of long fought legalization efforts several countries such as Uruguay and Canada as well as several states in the US have legalized the production sale possession and recreational and or medical usage of cannabis The broad legalization of cannabis in this fashion can have numerous effects on the economy and society in which it is legalized citation needed A sign supporting marijuana legalization at the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza in Eugene Oregon Contents 1 Region 1 1 Canada 1 2 United States 1 2 1 Colorado 1 2 2 Oregon 1 2 3 Washington D C 1 3 Uruguay 2 See also 3 References 4 Further readingRegion editThis section needs expansion You can help by adding to it January 2020 Canada edit See Cannabis in Canada United States edit source source source source source source News report from Voice of America about businesses related to cannabis in the United States Aired 23 September 2015A 2015 study found that medical marijuana legalization increased use and abuse by those under and over the age of 21 1 A 2017 study found that frequency of marijuana use by students increased significantly after recreational legalization and that increase was especially large for females and for Black and Hispanic students 2 A 2017 study found that the introduction of medical marijuana laws caused a reduction in violent crime in Americans states that border Mexico The reduction in crime is strongest for counties close to the border less than 350km and for crimes that relate to drug trafficking In addition we find that medical marijuana laws in inland states lead to a reduction in crime in the nearest border state Our results are consistent with the theory that decriminalization of the production and distribution of marijuana leads to a reduction in violent crime in markets that are traditionally controlled by Mexican drug trafficking organisations 3 A 2020 study found that junk food sales increased between 3 2 and 4 5 percent in states that had legalized cannabis 4 A 2022 study found that legalization had led to a 20 increase in use of cannabis in the US 5 Pharmaceutical companies had lower returns 6 The legalization of marijuana has also created a decrease in the risk perception of the drug among adolescents Because the drug is legalized the perceived risks of using that drug go down This can be detrimental especially factoring in that the negative effects of marijuana are heightened during adolescent use This effect can be seen in adults as well and with legalization the normalization of marijuana will become further ingrained in American culture Looking back to 2019 the US gained a total of 1 7 billion dollars in tax revenue due to the legalization of marijuana In 2021 that number more than doubled to 3 7 billion dollars 7 The increase in tax revenue being a driving factor in the legalization of marijuana is similar to the effects of the repeal of prohibition After prohibition was abolished the percentage of federal government revenue coming from alcohol increased about 7 in the US 8 This additional stream of revenue was especially important during a time of recession similar to the economic landscape we see today With the legalization of marijuana the government is looking to capitalize on these same benefits Legalization is anticipated to reduce the resources expended on arrests and prosecution for marijuana related crimes A 2007 analysis found that legalization could result in a potential savings of 10 7 billion per year 9 A 2010 report predicted that full marijuana legalization could save the United States more than 13 billion a year with 8 billion of that amount resulting from no longer having to enforce prohibition 10 The legalization of marijuana may create new job opportunities The current industry supports nearly 430 000 full time jobs however it is projected that that number could rise to over 1 75 million jobs in the near future 11 With over 100 000 jobs created in 2021 there is about a 33 increase from the previous year To put that into perspective there is only a projected 8 increase in jobs in the business and financial sector 12 If marijuana becomes legal on the federal level that would also open up investment opportunities for Americans and people around the world as more companies will be listed on US stock exchanges This not only allows for more investment opportunities but in turn raises capital for those companies listed on the exchanges furthering the growth of the industry This is important as a growing industry is a common target for savvy investors Colorado edit source source source source source source News report by Voice of America about the business effect of cannabis in Colorado with 700 million dollars in salesIn Colorado effects since 2014 include increased state revenues 13 violent crime decreased 14 15 and an increase in homeless population 16 One Colorado hospital has received a 15 increase in babies born with THC in their blood 17 Since legalization public health and law enforcement officials in Colorado have grappled with a number of issues serving as a model for policy problems that come with legalization Marijuana related hospital visits have nearly doubled between 2011 prior to legalization and 2014 18 Top public health administrators in Colorado have cited the increased potency of today s infused products often referred to as edibles as a cause for concern They have also highlighted the risk that edibles pose to children as they are often undistinguishable from ordinary foods once they are removed from their packaging 19 Youth usage has also been a major aspect of the debate surrounding marijuana legalization and a concern for state officials Overall youth usage rates have increased although not enough to be deemed statistically significant 20 Looking at students in the eighth tenth and twelfth grades a survey study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that usage rates had not increased among any of the different age groups in Colorado although statistically significant increases in usage rates amongst eighth and tenth graders were reported in Washington 21 Oregon edit Oregon legalized cannabis in November 2014 Effects have included an increase in cannabis related calls to the Oregon state poison center 22 an increase in perception among youth that Marijuana use is harmful 22 a decrease in arrest rates for cannabis related offenses 22 stores sold 250 million in cannabis products which resulted in 70 million in state tax revenue higher than a predicted 36 million in revenue 23 10 decrease in violent crime and 13 drop in murder rate 23 Washington D C edit Washington D C legalized cannabis in 2015 Cannabis possession arrests decreased 98 from 2014 to 2015 and all cannabis offenses dropped by 85 24 Uruguay edit Effects of cannabis legalization in Uruguay since 2013 include other countries in the region loosening laws concerning cannabis and lower costs of illegal cannabis 25 The percentage of female prisoners has fallen 26 See also editCannabis rights Drug liberalization Drug Policy Alliance Green rush Harm reduction Legality of cannabis by country Legality of cannabis Legality of the War on Drugs National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws White marketReferences edit Pacula Rosalie L Powell David Heaton Paul Sevigny Eric L 2015 Assessing the Effects of Medical Marijuana Laws on Marijuana Use The Devil is in the Details Journal of Policy Analysis and Management Wiley 34 1 7 31 doi 10 1002 pam 21804 eISSN 1520 6688 PMC 4315233 PMID 25558490 Miller Austin M Rosenman Robert Cowan Benjamin W December 2017 Recreational marijuana legalization and college student use Early evidence SSM Population Health Elsevier 3 649 657 doi 10 1016 j ssmph 2017 08 001 ISSN 2352 8273 PMC 5769109 PMID 29349253 Gavrilova Evelina Kamada Takuma Zoutman Floris 2017 Is Legal Pot Crippling Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations The Effect of Medical Marijuana Laws on US Crime The Economic Journal 129 617 375 407 doi 10 1111 ecoj 12521 hdl 11250 274521 ISSN 1468 0297 Baggio Michele Chong Alberto 2020 12 01 Recreational marijuana laws and junk food consumption Economics amp Human Biology 39 100922 doi 10 1016 j ehb 2020 100922 ISSN 1570 677X PMID 32992092 S2CID 222146085 Legalizing recreational cannabis in the U S has increased frequency of use by 20 EurekAlert Retrieved 2022 09 12 Bednarek Ziemowit Doremus Jacqueline M Stith Sarah S 2022 08 31 U S cannabis laws projected to cost generic and brand pharmaceutical firms billions PLOS ONE 17 8 e0272492 Bibcode 2022PLoSO 1772492B doi 10 1371 journal pone 0272492 ISSN 1932 6203 PMC 9432746 PMID 36044436 The Economic Benefits of Legalizing Marijuana Investopedia Retrieved 2023 11 27 Boudreaux Donald J 2008 01 01 Alcohol Prohibition and the Revenuers Donald J Boudreaux fee org Retrieved 2023 11 27 Gettman Jon 2007 Lost Taxes and Other Costs of Marijuana Laws PDF Bulletin of Cannabis Reform 4 Retrieved 27 November 2023 Miron Jeffrey A The Budgetary Implications of Drug Prohibition PDF Harvard University Department of Economics Retrieved 27 November 2023 Herrington A J New Cannabis Jobs Report Reveals Marijuana Industry s Explosive Employment Growth Forbes Retrieved 2023 11 27 Herrington A J New Cannabis Jobs Report Reveals Marijuana Industry s Explosive Employment Growth Forbes Retrieved 2023 11 27 The Unexpected Side Effects of Legalizing Weed Newsweek 6 June 2015 Retrieved 29 October 2016 Reporter Matt Ferner National Post The Huffington 17 July 2014 If Legal Marijuana Was Supposed To Cause More Crime It s Not Doing A Very Good Job Huffington Post Retrieved 29 October 2016 Healy Jack 1 June 2014 After 5 Months of Sales Colorado Sees the Downside of a Legal High The New York Times Retrieved 29 October 2016 Gurman Sadie 24 December 2014 Why legal marijuana swells Denver s homeless population Christian Science Monitor Retrieved 29 October 2016 The Pot Vote CBS News The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado The Impact PDF Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Miller Joshua February 22 2016 From Colorado Glimpse of Life After Marijuana Boston Globe Ingraham Christopher 2016 10 13 Here s how legal pot changed Colorado and Washington Washington Post ISSN 0190 8286 Retrieved 2017 11 29 Cerda Magdalena Wall Melanie Feng Tianshu Keyes Katherine M Sarvet Aaron Schulenberg John O Malley Patrick M Pacula Rosalie Liccardo Galea Sandro 2017 02 01 Association of State Recreational Marijuana Laws With Adolescent Marijuana Use JAMA Pediatrics 171 2 142 149 doi 10 1001 jamapediatrics 2016 3624 ISSN 2168 6203 PMC 5365078 PMID 28027345 a b c https public health oregon gov PreventionWellness marijuana Documents oha 8509 marijuana report pdf bare URL PDF a b Swanberg Conor 7 July 2015 One Year Later Here Are the Effects Legalizing Marijuana Has Had in Washington State Retrieved 29 October 2016 Opinion on D C s one year anniversary with legalized marijuana work remains The Washington Post Uruguay s Year In Marijuana 3 Successes 3 Burning Questions NBC News NBC News 7 January 2015 Retrieved 29 October 2016 Uruguay marijuana legalization one year later 26 March 2015 Retrieved 29 October 2016 Further reading editAngela Dills Sietse Goffard Jeffrey Miron Erin Partin February 2 2021 The Effect of State Marijuana Legalizations 2021 Update Cato Institute POLICY ANALYSIS NO 908 Greg ROSALSKY March 16 2021 The Data On Legalizing Weed Planet Money NPR German Lopez November 13 2019 A new study found marijuana legalization leads to more problematic use Vox The lead researcher says her study isn t meant to advocate against marijuana legalization but inform it Erin J Farley Stan Orchowsky July 2019 Measuring the Criminal Justice System Impacts of Marijuana Legalization and Decriminalization Using State Data United States Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs NCJ Number 253137 Analyses of the available data suggests that 1 legalizing the recreational use of marijuana resulted in fewer marijuana related arrests and court cases 2 legalizing marijuana did not have a noticeable impact on indicators in states that bordered those that legalized and 3 there were no noticeable indications of an increase in arrests related to transportation or trafficking offenses in states along the northern or southern borders Liberty Vittert April 19 2019 Here s what the numbers show about the impact of legal marimuana MarketWatch Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Effects of legalized cannabis amp oldid 1187165165, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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