A Blunt Look at the Impacts Marijuana Has on Violent Crime

Abstract

From 1990 to 2017, more than 30 states have passed laws legalizing the use of marijuana. While marijuana remains prohibited at the federal level, these laws provide the opportunity to research the impact that marijuana has on society. This paper exploits the state law variation of medical marijuana and recreational marijuana to examine their impacts on violent crime rates. Results indicate that the legalization of marijuana, both recreational and medical, does not increase violent crime rates. In contrast, marijuana legalization could lead to a decline in violent crime such as homicide, robbery and aggravated assault.