Considering the health and social welfare impacts of non‐medical cannabis legalization

Fischer, Benedikt; Bullen, Chris; Elder, Hinemoa; Fidalgo, Thiago M.

doi:10.1002/wps.20736

Cited by 11 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…The preliminary data on cannabis legalization from Canada reflect some similar developments from the US, for example in regards to select increases in use and diversification in use methods yet an absence in clear change trends for driving under the influence of cannabis in legalization settings [7,40,50]. For now, currently available indicators suggest a 'mixed picture' of outcomes associated with legalization in Canada, including continuing high use rates of use among youth who are more vulnerable to adverse health effects of cannabis use than others and may be subject to punishments for ongoing use under legalization texts [51,52]. On this basis, policy efforts going forward should probably focus on measures and tools to reduce cannabis-related harms among under-age users, as well as reducing primary risk factors associated with adverse health outcomes among cannabis users generally (e.g., high-frequency use, risky use modes or products, cannabis-impaired driving, as furthermore defined in the 'Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines') mainly responsible for adverse public health impacts [53,54].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An overview of select cannabis use and supply indicators pre- and post-legalization in Canada

Fischer

Lee

Robinson

et al. 2021

Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy

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Background Canada implemented the legalization and regulation of non-medical cannabis use, production and sale in 2018 aiming to improve public health and safety. While outcomes from legalization reforms in other jurisdictions mostly rely on US-based data have been assessed to be mixed, Canadian data are only emerging. We compiled select population-level data on key indicators to gauge initial developments from pre- to post-legalization of cannabis in Canada. Methods We examined indicators data focusing on the following topics: prevalence of cannabis use, frequency of use, methods/products of consumption, driving after cannabis use, and cannabis sourcing. Indicator data were obtained mostly from national and some provincial population surveys. Prevalence or percentages for the indicators pre- and post-legalization (e.g., 2017- 2020), including confidence intervals were reported, with changes noted, as available in and indicated by the data sources. Results Data suggested selected increases in cannabis use prevalence, mostly among mid- and older- but possibly also younger (e.g., under legal use age) users. Frequency of use and driving after cannabis use among active users do not appear to have changed. Methods of cannabis use show diversifying trends, with decreases in smoking and increases in alternatives use modes (e.g., edibles, vaping). There is a clearly increasing trend towards accessing cannabis from legal sources among adults, while under-legal-use-age youth do not appear to experience heightened barriers to obtaining cannabis in legalization contexts. Conclusions Preliminary indicators on cannabis legalization in Canada show a mixed picture, some similar to US-based developments. While some use increases are observed, these do not necessarily represent indications of increases in cannabis-related harm, also since key (e.g., hospitalization or injury) data are lacking to date. There is a gradual embracing of legal supply sources of cannabis among users, which can be expected to serve public health and safety objectives. At the same time, cannabis use and access among under-age users as a principally vulnerable group do not appear to be hindered or reduced by legalization.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An overview of select cannabis use and supply indicators pre- and post-legalization in Canada

Fischer

Lee

Robinson

et al. 2021

Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy

Self Cite

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“…Furthermore, it is easily overlooked that legalization provides for legal use of and access to cannabis for *some*, i.e. legal-age/adult users, but retains these as illegal for the sub-population of adolescents/youth where demand is highest (Fischer, Bullen, Elder, & Fidalgo, 2020). This is not only a unique constellation in comparison with other risky consumption behaviors, but maintains young people as a main enforcement target, including the questionable (e.g., arbitrary, racialized, etc.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While initiatives for legalization policy have stressed improved protections of young people as a key “vulnerable” population, simple cannabis possession of small amounts, e.g. for personal use, in Canada, for example, are subject to possible charges under the Youth Criminal Justice Act (Fischer, Bullen, Elder, & Fidalgo, 2020). In addition, legalization frameworks have established several new offenses concerning cannabis possession- and use-related restrictions, and related quantity limits or social sharing, depending on the jurisdiction (Caulkins & Kilborn, 2019; Decorte et al, 2020; Johnson et al, 2018; Lancione et al, 2020; Smart & Kleiman, 2019; Watson & Erickson, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, legalization frameworks have established several new offenses concerning cannabis possession- and use-related restrictions, and related quantity limits or social sharing, depending on the jurisdiction (Caulkins & Kilborn, 2019; Decorte et al, 2020; Johnson et al, 2018; Lancione et al, 2020; Smart & Kleiman, 2019; Watson & Erickson, 2019). For example, both Canada’s 2018 “Cannabis Act” as the legal basis for legalization and New Zealand’s proposed “Cannabis Legalisation and Regulation Bill” provide for punitive (some criminal) sanctions and enforcement for those in possession of cannabis above defined personal limits and those sharing with minors/under-age individuals and under-age use (Fischer, Bullen, Elder, & Fidalgo, 2020; Fischer & Daldegan-Bueno, 2020; Government of Canada, 2019). These have been among the principal offenses leading to cannabis arrests immediately following the implementation of legalization in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Toward a “Post-Legalization” Criminology for Cannabis: A Brief Review and Suggested Agenda for Research Priorities

Fischer

Daldegan‐Bueno

Reuter

2020

Contemporary Drug Problems

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Cannabis control policies in a few countries have recently shifted from criminal prohibition-based regimes to legalization of use and supply. While cannabis’ newly emerging status of legality may suggest a coming “end” for criminology-based interest in the drug, these fundamental changes rather open a window to a new set of criminological research issues and questions, mostly focusing on cannabis use and related behaviors, and their relation to crime and justice. Based on a joint, personal record of several decades of criminological research on cannabis, we briefly review the rationale for five fundamental topics and issues of cannabis-related research associated with legalization. These include: 1) the deterrent effect of prohibition; 2) illicit production, markets and supply in a legalization regime; 3) use enforcement; 4) cannabis-impaired driving; 5) cannabis and crime. This constitutes an—albeit subjectively selective—“post-legalization” research agenda for a cannabis-focused criminology. Other possible areas of research focus or interest within fundamentally different paradigms of criminology (e.g., “critical criminology”) are identified and encouraged for development. Overall, the proposed research agenda for a post-legalization cannabis criminology should both contribute discipline-specific knowledge to improved cannabis-related public health and safety as well as allow for important debate and development in this evolving and important research field while entering a new (“post-legalization”) era.

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“…As North America moves towards a more liberal approach to cannabis, this has begun to generate some real data on the advantages and disadvantages of alternative approaches (Fischer et al 2020;Hall & Lynskey, 2020;Murray & Hall, 2020). It constitutes a real world experiment.…”

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confidence: 99%

Head shops and new psychoactive substances: a public health perspective

Smyth

2021

Ir. j. psychol. Med.

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In 2010, Ireland found itself at the eye of an international storm as a network of head shops emerged selling new psychoactive substances (NPS) and Irish youth rapidly became the heaviest users of NPS in Europe. Within months, the Irish government enacted novel legislation, which has since been copied by other countries, which effectively stopped the head shops selling NPS. Critics of this policy argued that it could cause harms to escalate. A number of separate studies indicate that a range of drug-related harms increased amongst Irish youth during the period of head shop expansion. Within months of their closure, health harms began to decline. NPS-related addiction treatment episodes reduced and admissions to both psychiatric and general hospitals related to any drug problem began to fall. Population use underwent sustained decline. Consequently, the closure of head shops can be viewed as a success in terms of public health.

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Considering the health and social welfare impacts of non‐medical cannabis legalization

Cited by 11 publications

References 8 publications

An overview of select cannabis use and supply indicators pre- and post-legalization in Canada

An overview of select cannabis use and supply indicators pre- and post-legalization in Canada

Toward a “Post-Legalization” Criminology for Cannabis: A Brief Review and Suggested Agenda for Research Priorities

Head shops and new psychoactive substances: a public health perspective

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