The Lancet Public Health· 2025Q1
The adverse public health effects of non-medical cannabis legalisation in Canada and the USA
- 39citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2025year
Short summary
Legalizing non-medical cannabis in Canada and the USA has led to changes in products, pricing, and the illicit market, alongside increases in cannabis use and associated physical/mental health harms.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Legalization has altered cannabis product types and pricing structures.
- The illicit cannabis market has been affected by legalization policies.
- Increases in both cannabis use and related physical/mental health harms have been observed post-legalization.
- Assessing the full public health impact presents significant challenges.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Cannabis consumption is legally prohibited in most countries in the world. Several countries are legalising cannabis for adult consumption. It is important to monitor the public health effects of these policy changes. In this paper, we summarise the evidence to date on the legalisation of adult non-medical cannabis use in Canada and the USA. We describe regulatory models for cannabis legalisation, changes in cannabis products and pricing, effects on the illicit cannabis market, changes in cannabis use, and changes in cannabis-related physical and mental health harms. We discuss the challenges in assessing the effects of cannabis legalisation on public health outcomes and emphasise the importance of continuous and rigorous monitoring of adverse health effects to inform the design of public health policies and regulations.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. The Lancet Public Health, 2025 · DOI ↗
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Field: Pharmacology (Medicine)
PharmacologyMedicine