Studies Find Legalizing Medical Cannabis Reduces Suicides and Traffic Fatalities
There have been a plethora of studies released in recent years which have shown the benefits of legalizing cannabis, whether for recreational or medicinal purposes. Two of the most substantial, eye-opening benefits of le
galization that recent research has indicated, is a drastic decrease in both suicides, and traffic fatalities. Who would have known?
A study conducted in 2011 by the Institute for the Study of Labor, with help from researchers such as Daniel I. Rees of the University of Colorado’s Department of Economics, used a comprehensive statistical analysis to discover that states in the U.S. which have legalized medical marijuana saw a significant decrease in overall suicides – 5% in total.
The drop was even higher among young adults aged 20 to 29, with an 11% decrease in overall suicides (the increase adds validity to the statistics, as individuals in that age group use cannabis at a considerably higher rate than the average person).
Although this is just one study, it’s extremely promising, and indicates that allowing the use of medical cannabis may have led to thousands of prevented suicides. This is likely due in part to the fact that, according to university recent research released this month, cannabis can help fight depression and loneliness, and may raise self-esteem.
A different study, conducted around the same time, came to an equally surprising and important finding: Medical marijuana may reduce traffic fatalities.
According to the study released at the end of 2011, and updated this year, states which have legalized medical marijuana have seen a 9% reduction in traffic fatalities, indicating that one out of every eleven traffic deaths can be avoided if medical marijuana is legalized.
The study was conducted by Montana State University economics professor Mark Anderson, and Daniel Rees, a professor at the University of Colorado, and was published by the Institute for the Study of Labor.
For the study, researchers used an analysis of data from the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Using the data, researchers compared traffic fatalities over time in states with and without medical marijuana laws, accounting for changes in each state’s law. The researchers found that fatal car crashes dropped by 9% in states that legalized medical marijuana.
Researchers associate the connection with a significant decrease in alcohol consumption, which is validated by their findings which show there to be a 14% decrease in car crashes where one of the drivers had consumed alcohol, in states where medical marijuana had been legalized.
Both of these studies are hugely important, and help to quantify some of the unknown benefits that legalization will bring forth. Neither study has garnered the attention they deserve, although recently reform advocates have been mentioning them more, just as they should.
We look forward to more research to help validate these findings. Until then, advocates should make sure to spread these studies far and wide.
[Editor’s Note: Sources are hyperlinked throughout the article]
– TheJointBlog