The US has come quite some way in legalizing cannabis use, with nearly half of states having laws permitting recreational cannabis use. Yet the legalization of cannabis remains an ever-present, heated and polarizing debate . One that is often exploited by politicians to win votes, either by stoking fear of the harms that will come from legalizing cannabis, or by the promise of decreased violent crime and increased tax revenue from cannabis sales.
The science around the harms of cannabis is relatively well-established. Frequent use of high-potency cannabis and starting use at a young age is a risk factor for various mental health conditions—particularly schizophrenia. It can also lead to cognitive impairment and poor educational attainment, as well as increasing the risk of developing cannabis-use disorder (addiction).
Using cannabis before driving—within about eight hours of consumption—increases the risk of road traffic accidents . And if it is used during pregnancy it can cause birth complications. The important question is: how are these harms affected by legalization? Cannabis potency is a main driver of cannabis harm, and US states with legal cannabis have seen a dominance of high-potency products .
The increase in potency began, however, during prohibition in both the US and Europe . There is also some evidence that cannabis potency levels in legal retail stores are exaggerated to make the products more appealing to customers. Cannabis use rates are higher in stat.
