Study: Medical Cannabis Legalization Associated with Reduced Violent Crimes in States Bordering Mexico
The introduction of laws legalizing medical cannabis is associated with reduced violent crimes in U.S. states bordering Mexico, according to a new study published by The Economic Journal.
“[T]he introduction of medical marijuana laws (MMLs) leads to a decrease in violent crime in states that border Mexico”, states the abstract of the study, titled Is Legal Pot Crippling Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations? The Effect of Medical Marijuana Laws on US Crime. “The reduction in crime is strongest for counties close to the border (less than 350 kilometres) and for crimes that relate to drug trafficking.”
In addition, researchers found that “MMLs in inland states lead to a reduction in crime in the nearest border state. Our results are consistent with the theory that decriminalisation of the production and distribution of marijuana leads to a reduction in violent crime in markets that are traditionally controlled by Mexican drug trafficking organisations.”
Specifically, the study concludes that in states bordering Mexico, medical cannabis legalization reduced violent crime by 13% on average.
The full study can be found by clicking here.
Simon Green
This article testifies that marijuana can contribute to lessen criminality.