Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) – an organization which describes itself as a “non-profit dedicated to improving public policy and management by fostering excellence in research, analysis and education” – revealed the following:
“Using state-level data from the 1994 to 2012 Uniform Crime Reports, this study… estimate[s] the effect of MMLs on arrest rates…. Preliminary results suggest medical marijuana laws lead to a significant decrease in arrest rates for violent crimes among both juveniles and adults. Initial estimates also point to a reduction in arrest rates for property crime, which is likely driven by a decrease in burglary and theft arrests among juveniles.”
Although the analysis failed to definitively explain why these trends occurred, researchers put forth several theories: “Potential mechanisms to explain the decline in arrest rates include increased security at dispensaries and homes, the decreased level of alcohol consumption that accompanies the implementation of medical marijuana laws, and the role of law enforcement.” None of these findings are particularly surprising. On the contrary, they are common sense. For obvious reasons, threatened or actual violence is less likely to occur in a climate where Cannabis transactions take place out in the open and are controlled by rigid, orderly regulations, rather than being left to a black market where anything can happen.
Does Marijuana Make People More Aggressive?
As to whether Cannabis intoxication increases aggression in the individual user, findings are again inconclusive. Some studies have suggested an increase in violence among certain segments of the population, such as a 2015 study from the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, in which “initiating marijuana use after treatment was associated with worse PTSD symptoms [and] more violent behavior.” However, this may be attributable to high doses of THC (and other cannabinoids), which are more likely to cause paranoia and agitation than low to moderate doses. Additionally, the study did not examine members of the general population – only participants with Post-Traumatic Stress
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