When weed is allowed, it has a range of effects on crime. It has been shown in some studies that legalizing weed makes crime rates go down, while in other studies, it makes crime rates go up.
Studies that have found that crime rates are going down:
According to a study in the journal Criminology & Public Policy, violent crime rates went down after weed use became allowed for some people. It was found in a study in the journal Justice Quarterly that property crime rates went down after medical cannabis became legal. It was found in a study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that drug-related crimes went down after weed was legalized.
Studies that have found that crime rates are going up:
A study in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence found that more people died in car accidents after cannabis use became allowed for leisure purposes. A study in the journal Addiction found that high rates of crime among teens and young adults went up after weed use became legal. A new study found that the number of violent crimes went up after medical weed became legal.
For many years, people have been fighting about whether medical cannabis should be legalized. Supporters say it’s a safe and effective way to treat various medical problems. However, a new study in the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies has shed new light on how this policy move might affect crime rates.
The study looked at information from several states that approved medical cannabis between 1990 and 2006. It found that violent crime rates went up a lot in these places after the drug became legal. In particular, the researchers found that the number of violent assaults rose by about 25% in states that approved medical cannabis compared to states that did not.
There aren’t many clear reasons for this rise in violent crime, but the study’s authors think it might have something to do with the fact that criminals often target medical weed shops.
Dispensaries
Many of these dispensaries are cash-only companies that aren’t well controlled, which leaves them open to theft and other types of crime.
Even though these results are interesting, it is essential to remember that the study only looked at how legalizing medical cannabis would affect violent crime rates. It didn’t examine any other possible pros or cons of this policy change. More study is needed to fully understand how legalizing medical cannabis will affect crime rates and public safety, as well as to come up with good ways to lower the risks that might come with this policy change.
The Good and Bad
There is still a lot to learn about how legalizing weed will affect crime, so keep that in mind. More study is needed to find out what effects, both good and bad, legalization has on crime rates.
Some of the things that might affect how legalizing weed affects crime are listed below:
The rules governing the weed industry: Crime rates have decreased in states with stricter drug laws.
Behaviors of law enforcement: Crime rates have decreased in states where law enforcement focuses on teaching and protection.
Social factors: Crime rates have decreased in states with lower levels of poverty and inequality.
Also, it’s important to remember that legalizing weed might not have the same effect on all crimes. For example, some studies have found that when cannabis is allowed, drug-related crimes go down, while other studies have found that road deaths go up.
There is a lot of different kinds of proof about how legalizing weed affects crime. We need to do more study to fully understand how legalization might affect crime rates and what might change this effect.
