Despite the enthusiasm for the nascent sector — a sector that’s earned the support of nearly two-thirds of New Yorkers — there are local debates raging all over the state, as localities consider opting out of cannabis retail and on-site consumption.
With the deadline to decide — Dec.
It’s said that cannabis legalization leads to increased access to teens and minors, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Legalization makes cannabis harder to obtain.
According to a study by JAMA Pediatrics, legalized recreational cannabis was associated with an 8% decline in teens reporting trying cannabis in the previous 30 days and a nine percent decrease in teens reporting frequent use.
In a recent study in the Journal of Experimental Criminology, researchers noted that cannabis use is “not a reliable gateway cause of illicit drug use” and further concluded that prohibition does not reduce illicit drug consumption.
According to their 2020 factsheet, “the majority of people who use marijuana do not go on to use other ‘harder’ substances.” There are even provisional signs that legal cannabis is linked to lower opioid mortalities, directly contradicting prohibitionists’ dire warnings.
However, a 2017 study, published in the Journal of Urban Economics, found that dispensary closures caused nearly a 12% increase in crime in surrounding areas, leading researchers to conclude that dispensaries make neighborhoods safer.
Among many reasons areas become safer when a cannabis dispensary moves in is that dispensaries are safe and secure neighbors.
A 2018 Cato research brief verified that homes within a short distance of a cannabis dispensary experienced a large increase in value.
Many residents of suburban communities located along highway networks express concerns that cannabis legalization will result in more traffic accidents.
Earlier this year, two economists from the University of Colorado at Denver and Montana State University performed a comprehensive review of public health consequences of cannabis legalization, encompassing dozens of published studies.
As the wave of legalization continues, the misunderstandings about cannabis in our communities will slowly fade away.
Isenstadt is a senior vice president at Marino, a New York City-based public relations agency, where he leads a team focused on a burgeoning portfolio of cannabis-focused brands.