Body of research quelling fears about legal cannabis continues to grow
As the number of states and countries legalizing marijuana grows, so too does the research into the potential effects on society. The common theme: legal cannabis isn’t contributing to society’s ills. It may even be helping.
One of the biggest concerns – and misconceptions – has been about the dangers of driving under the influence and what opponents contended was a rise in DUIs because of legal adult cannabis use. But a first-ever study from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice shows the majority of Coloradans suspected of driving under the influence in 2016 had been drinking, but only a small fraction had used marijuana.
Another study set to be published in October found that workplace deaths dropped in states that had legalized cannabis. The researchers analyzed federal Department of Labor statistics, finding that the numbers backed the theory that if people use marijuana as an alternative to alcohol or painkillers, the risk of impairment on the job could be lower.
