Hall, Wayne and Stjepanović, Daniel and Dawson, Danielle and Leung, Janni (2023) The implementation and public health impacts of cannabis legalization in Canada: a systematic review. Addiction, 118, (11), pp. 2062-2072. doi: 10.1111/add.16274.
External website: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.16...
AIMS: We provide a narrative summary of research on changes in cannabis arrests, cannabis products and prices, cannabis use and cannabis-related harm since legalization.
METHODS: We systematically searched for research on the impacts of cannabis legalization in Canada in PubMed, Embase, Statistics Canada and government websites and Google Scholar, published between 2006 and 2021.
RESULTS: Cannabis legalization in Canada has been followed by substantial reductions in cannabis-related arrests and cannabis prices. It has also increased adults' access to a diverse range of cannabis products, including edibles and extracts. The prevalence of cannabis use among young adults has increased, but there have been no marked increases or decreases in use among high school students or changes in the prevalence of daily or near-daily use. Legalization has been associated with increased adult hospital attendances for psychiatric distress and vomiting, unintentional ingestion of edible cannabis products by children and hospitalizations for cannabis use disorders in adults. There is conflicting evidence on whether cannabis-impaired driving has increased since legalization. There is suggestive evidence that presentations to emergency departments with psychoses and cannabis use disorders may have increased since legalization.
CONCLUSIONS: Legalization of cannabis in Canada appears to have reduced cannabis arrests and increased access to a variety of more potent cannabis products at lower prices. Since 2019, recent cannabis use in Canada has modestly increased among adults but not among adolescents. There is evidence of increased acute adverse effects of cannabis among adults and children.
A Substance use and dependence > Effects or consequences
B Substances > Cannabis / Marijuana
G Health and disease > State of health > Physical health
G Health and disease > State of health > Mental health
G Health and disease > Public health
G Health and disease > Behavioural and mental health disorder (Psychosis / mood)
MM-MO Crime and law > Crime > Substance related crime
MM-MO Crime and law > Substance use laws > Drug laws
MP-MR Policy, planning, economics, work and social services > Policy > Policy on substance use > Drug decriminalisation or legalisation policy
T Demographic characteristics > Adolescent / youth (teenager / young person)
T Demographic characteristics > Adult
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