Due to the recent legalization of marijuana recreationally in more states, researches wonder what the effects may be on the safety of its users and the public. A recent study by researchers at Washington State, Stockton University, and University of Utah, funded by the National Institute of Justice, sought to determine the effect of the legalization of marijuana on crime rates.
Previous studies have reported inconclusive results in regards to how legalizing cannabis has impacted crime rates, which has been used to advocate for or against its legalization. In this study, researchers compared monthly crime rates in Colorado and Washington to crime rates in 21 other states without recreational legal marijuana. The crime rates came from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report from 1999 - 2016 that calculated changes in violence and property crimes after the legalization with changes to what happened in states that haven’t legalized marijuana.
The study found no significant long-term effects of recreational cannabis laws on violence or property crime in either states, except for a decline in burglary rates in Washington. This data suggests that the legalization of marijuana has had minimal to no effect on major crimes in legal states. Because the study examined changes in serious crimes, crimes like driving under the influence or other less serious crimes can not be determined. They also state that they cannot rule out the possibility that marijuana laws may have different effects on different types of communities within a state.
In my opinion, I wouldn’t see any reason for the legalization of marijuana to cause an increase in crime rates. If anything, I could see how legalization could decrease crimes since cannabis users would not have to break the law in order to obtain the plant. I think that more states should legalize due to the lack of effect on crime rates as well as the fact that the government will benefit since they can make more revenue by taxing.
Sources:
https://phys.org/news/2019-10-states-legalization-recreational-marijuana-effect.html
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This study supports the initiative that many states are taking. It is becoming more evident that legalizing marijuana not only does not change serious criminal activity, but it also generates a large income for the government. This money is being taken out of the illegal drug market. Overall I think that legalizing marijuana has more positives than negatives.
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