We look at the impact of medical marijuana (MML) laws on crime. Using data from the Uniform Crime Report, we show that the introduction of MMLs resulted in a 12.5% decrease in violent crimes such as homicide, robbery and robbery in states bordering Mexico. We also show that the decrease in violent crime is greatest in border counties (less than 350 km). Analysis of data from the Supplementary Homicide Reports shows that the decrease in homicides is largely due to a decrease in drug-related homicides. We find evidence of spillover effects. When a landlocked country adopts an MML, it leads to a decrease in crime in the nearest border state. Our findings are consistent with the theory that the introduction of MMLs reduces the activities of Mexican drug trafficking organizations and their affiliated gangs in the border region. MMLs expose drug trafficking organizations (OTNs) to legitimate competition and significantly reduce their profits in one of their most lucrative drug markets. This leads to a decrease in drug-related crime in the Mexican border area. Our findings suggest that decriminalizing drug production and distribution may lead to a reduction in violence in markets where organized drug criminals face legal competition. In 2002, about a quarter of property and drug offenders in the United States committed their crimes in local jails to get money for drugs, compared to 5 percent of violent and law enforcement offenders.

The pattern was similar among state prisoners in 2004, with property offenders (30%) and drug-related offenders (26%) more likely to commit their drug money crimes than violent offenders (10%) and public order offenders (7%). In federal prisons, property offenders (11%) were less than half as likely as drug-related offenders (25%) to cite drug money as a motive for their crimes. The Reason Foundation also reports that jurisdictions that have legalized marijuana for medical purposes have also seen a decline in opioid overdoses. Other studies have shown that property crime has not increased as some people feared. In fact, property crime has dropped in Colorado neighborhoods that have opened marijuana dispensaries. In other words, legalize drugs, and you get less violent crime. The researchers used FBI statistics to examine the impact of legalization on two types of crime: theft and violence. In the study, they looked at the 18 states that had introduced such laws before 2012.

“Border states are the hardest hit by smuggling. There are several reasons for this. For example, you may have to steal a car if you transport illegal drugs from Mexico to the United States via California,” says Gavrilova. According to the latest Gallup poll, a large majority of Americans support the legalization of marijuana. In 2019, 66% of Americans support legalization. Looking at long-term trends, the data shows that attitudes toward marijuana and its prohibition have changed dramatically in recent decades. All of these justifications listed above have been debunked by empirical research and are more fiction than fact. As an alternative to misinformation in support of prohibition, this article will present an evidence-based argument for legalizing marijuana and suggest that it would benefit our criminal justice system. In short, the Marijuana Justice Act would be good policy. Drug gangs and their rivalry also lead to an increase in crime in border states. For example, Bernie Sanders has laid out a comprehensive plan to reform our current marijuana laws, which includes legalizing the substance within the first 100 days of his term and repealing/removing all marijuana-related convictions.

Other candidates such as Elizabeth Warren, Corey Booker, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Andrew Yang and Amy Klobuchar have taken a similar position and most Democratic candidates support the Marijuana Justice Act, sponsored by Senator Booker. This bill would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, eliminate marijuana-related convictions, and exclude federal funds for states that enforce cannabis laws in a discriminatory manner. Benzodiazepines have been used as a murder tool by serial killers and other killers, such as those with Munchausen syndrome by proxy. [8] [9] [10] Benzodiazepines have also been used to facilitate the crimes of rape or robbery, and benzodiazepine dependence has been linked to shoplifting due to the runaway condition induced by chronic drug use. [11] [12] When benzodiazepines are used criminally against a victim, they are often mixed with food or drink. [13] An evidence-based alternative to the war on drugs is harm reduction. Harm reduction aims to reduce the harms associated with substance use by focusing on prevention and rehabilitation rather than law enforcement and incarceration. Harm reduction strategies have been shown to reduce drug use, drug-related crime, the spread of infectious diseases, drug overdoses, etc. For example, community-based therapeutic programs and drug court programs are much more effective in reducing behavioural problems associated with drug use than typical “hard” deterrent approaches, which generally have little or no effect on reducing antisocial behaviour. The nation has not collapsed and its cities are not overrun with drug addicts. In fact, overall recreational drug use appears to have declined, as does a fifty percent decline in reported HIV infections.

Overall, illicit drug use among 16- to 18-year-olds also decreased, although marijuana use increased slightly in this population. Violent crime has not increased.