Studies Find Legal Cannabis Reduces Misuse, Improves Safety Across Multiple Countries

Recent studies from various countries highlight the nuanced impacts of cannabis legalization on public health and safety. Research from Switzerland’s Weed Care pilot program, the first randomized controlled trial of its kind, shows that legal access to cannabis reduces problematic use, especially among those who also use other drugs, without increasing mental health issues or overall consumption. Similarly, in Canada, five years post-legalization, cannabis use frequency has risen slightly while misuse has decreased modestly, with patterns influenced by prelegalization use. Meanwhile, a separate study found that adult-use marijuana legalization is linked to a gradual rise in workers’ compensation claims but also to a significant reduction in average medical costs per claim, driven by decreased prescriptions for opioids and other painkillers. Additionally, concerns about fentanyl contamination in cannabis appear largely unfounded, with multiple investigations and forensic analyses finding little to no evidence of fentanyl-laced marijuana, emphasizing that regulated markets better protect consumers from such risks. These findings collectively suggest that regulated cannabis markets can mitigate certain harms associated with illegal use while contributing to shifts in public health dynamics.