Colorado is facing a possible end to civilization following the legalization of marijuana there. The drug is killing people, spreading across Colorado’s border freely into other states, and even children are getting their hands on the “gateway drug” easier than ever. These are the things the opponents of legalization want you to believe. They will tell you these dire “facts” without supporting numbers, because they feel they don’t need the evidence. These are exactly the effects they predicted when the subject was being debated and now they have become reality.
The truth is, they are not supplying numbers or studies, and in fact are saying that no numbers are in yet, because the reality is, some numbers are in, and they do not paint the picture the opposition wants you to see.
The picture being painted is actually a far cry better than anyone even expected before legalization. In Denver, where the majority of dispensaries are, crime, of both the violent and property varieties, is actually down. It is true that some children have been admitted to hospitals from complications arising due to consumption of cannabis edibles, nine in all this year. This number is up from the previous year prior to legalization, but it is hardly indicative of a “trend”. In all, less than 1% of hospital visits are related to cannabis. Most of the cases involving children have been children 3 years of age and younger, leading most to conclude that a lack of parental responsibility more than marijuana is the cause.
Only 12.5% of DUI citations in the early months of this year have been related to cannabis. Add to that the fact that studies have shown that the presence of cannabis in a subject’s system has a far less impact on the chances of accidents resulting in fatalities than any of the other drug studied. It should also be noted that 12.5% does not even necessarily indicate an increase since before legalization as those numbers were not tracked prior to this year.
Also true is that no neighbouring states have noticed an increase in the seizure of marijuana. In fact, one state, Kansas, has tracked a decrease of 61% in the first months of the year as compared against the same period the year before legalization. Nebraska has likewise noticed a downward swing, though less than that in Kansas. So it seems the trafficking of marijuana across into other states is also not the worry opponents would have you believe.
In addition to these numbers, the legal marijuana trade has led more jobs and increased tax revenues.
Source: Vox
http://www.vox.com/