As the legalisation of recreational cannabis in Canada was on the verge of coming to pass in 2018, opponents were busy pumping out their “concerns”. As we look back almost three years post legalisation, it’s clear that these fears never came to pass. Keep reading as we look at evidence now three years post legalisation in Canada that shows the oppositions’ predictions were incorrect.
Myth #1: Legalising Marijuana Will Lead To Increased Use Among Youth
Concerns about the public health concerns if cannabis was made legal for people in Canada aged 18 and up have not come to pass according to a study that was published in the Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. The official analysis showed “no marked increase in cannabis youth by use” in the three-year period following legalisation. In the conclusion of the study, the authors state:
“In the lead up to legalization, professional associations … suggested that legalization posed a threat to public health, advocated for the legal age for cannabis use to be set at a minimum age of 21 or 25, or that Canada should not legalize at all because it would place youth at greater risk of harm. With such categorical fears now shown to be largely unfounded, this should provide the basis to move forward on more nuanced grounds. … [O]n the balance, cannabis legalization – especially when considering the severe adverse social impacts of criminalization, and especially for youth – continues to offer the potential to better protect and achieve consequential net benefits to public health and welfare of cannabis users and society at large.”
Myth #2: More Arrests Will Occur From Illicit Use
People who were opposed to the legalisation of cannabis in Canada often cited the reason that there would be an upsurge in crime rates due to the increase of “substance” use. On the contrary, there has been a large reduction in marijuana-related arrests among adults and young people since the legalisation of recreational cannabis.
In fact, the authors from the study cited above also pointed out that marijuana decriminalisation has led to a positive societal impact, which includes fewer possession cannabis-related arrests. Furthermore, the regulation of marijuana sales has also led to more effective and targeted public health messaging.
Erik Altier, the Executive Director at NORML said the following about the data:
“From a public health standpoint, regulation and education are preferable strategies to criminalization. Overall, adult-use legalization is working largely as voters and politicians envisioned, which is why an increasing number of jurisdictions are shifting their policies in this direction.”
Myth #3: Legal Marijuana Would Cause and Uptick in Traffic Accidents
Many of the opponents of marijuana decriminalization argued that legalising cannabis for recreational use would cause an uptick in the percentage of motor vehicle accidents attributed to marijuana. Careful review of the data shows there has been no such trend since cannabis became legal nationwide in October 2018.
Several studies have now shown that there has not been any increase in fatal car accidents in areas with legalisation of cannabis. In fact, some reports actually showed the exact opposite, a reduction in traffic accidents.
Myth #4: Marijuana Legalisation Would Lead to An Increase In Illicit Sales
Yet again, another myth debunked. Opponents of cannabis decriminalisation argued that buyers would continue to use the illicit market, and the relaxation of laws against it would cause more sales on the illicit market. Research shows otherwise.
During the month of April, data published in the Journal Health Reports found that Canadians have quickly jumped ship from the illicit market and are now making most of their purchases on the legal market. In fact, it’s estimated that 70 percent of cannabis consumers buy their product exclusively from legal outlets.
Myth #5: Legal Cannabis Would Increase Violent Crimes & Overdose Deaths
One of the primary arguments of people who were opposed to the legalisation of cannabis in Canada was that it would lead to an increase in violent crimes, admissions to drug treatment centers, and overdose deaths. However, none of those predictions seem to have played out.
State-level adult-use regulation laws in the United States have not shown any significant increases in youth use or access attributed to the legalisation of recreational cannabis, according to thorough analyses.
In fact, as a general trend, a recent study from the Cato Institute found that areas with legalised cannabis have not experienced an increase or a decrease in the rate of general crimes. This Institute points out that even though governors, police chiefs, and some policymakers were speaking out against decriminalisation arguing due to its “purported links to crime”, the fact is that violent crime rates in legal states “has neither soared nor plummeted.”
Furthermore, additional studies have shown that there is no association of the cannabis legalisation laws and the occurrence of admissions to drug treatment centers, overdose deaths, or violent crime.
The full text of the study titled, “Youth cannabis use and legalization in Canada – Reconsidering the fears, myths, and facts three years in” can be found from the fact-sheet provided by NORML, ‘Marijuana regulation: Impact on Health, Safety, and Economy.’
Myth #6: More People Would Miss Work
Another fear that was pushed to try to sway the public against the legalisation of recreational cannabis was the claim that more people would miss work. Presumably, I guess “experts” thought people would be too high to make it to work? However, this is yet another failed prediction from the naysayers that never came to fruition.
In fact, the legalisation of marijuana may be attributed to the reduction in state workers’ compensation programs claims, as people now have a safe and legal way to more effectively manage their pain.
Planet Money, the National Public Radio program, is a show that focuses on financial and economic matters. This publication has helped build these new outlooks on the results of decriminalisation by conducting a thorough review of studies, which some of them have been reported on by Green Entrepreneur.
Myth #7: Marijuana Would Lose Its Market Value
Another myth about marijuana legalisation is that once it became legal it would lose its value. This fear was also debunked in the Cato Institute study. Through their research, they found that in California the average price has actually increased from $250 per ounce to $260 per ounce.
