Despite the wave of legalization getting stronger by the day, some states still ban marijuana outright.

The reasons for such an attitude are numerous, including youthful access to cannabismixed clinical data and drinking and driving to name a few.

Interestingly one A new study conducted by Cannabis Public Policy Consulting (CPPC) has shown that cannabis-related harm is decreasing in states where marijuana is regulated.

The “greater risk of cannabis-related harm was associated with states where cannabis remains illegal compared to states where cannabis is regulated,” according to the CPPC findings Cannabis Legalization and Public Health Outcomes: Part I study showed.

The researchers surveyed around 5,000 participants in 25 US states who used marijuana at least once a year.

Important Findings

Analysis of data collected in August 2022 from the Quarterly Regulatory Determinants of Cannabis Outcomes (RDCOS) Survey found the following in legal cannabis states:

• Older age at first cannabis use in states where cannabis is legal (17) compared to illegal states (16.7).
• Those ages 16 to 20 living in legal states reported fewer days of cannabis use in the past month (7.9 days in states where only medicinal drugs were used and 9.5 days DUIC in states where adults used) compared to those living in states where cannabis is illegal (13.6 days). ).
• Lower rates of driving under the influence of cannabis (DUIC) in legal states (4.2 days DUIC in medical-only states and 4.3 days DUIC in adult-use states) compared to illicit ( 5.1 days DUIC).

The explorers closed that “the legalization of cannabis may promote positive cannabis-related public health outcomes”.

In addition, earlier this year the US Department of Justice reported that federal marijuana arrests continue to decline as more states legalize cannabis. Cannabis arrests have declined an average of 11% annually since 2010, when the DEA made 8,215 arrests.

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