Developments in cannabis enforcement practices and patterns associated with non-medical cannabis legalization policies: a basic literature/data review

Abstract

ABSTRACT Non-medical cannabis control has recently shifted to legalization policies in multiple jurisdictions, including North America. In addition to improved public health and safety, legalization aims to advance other, including ‘social justice’ outcomes, e.g. as related to cannabis law enforcement. We identified and examined (10) available studies from North American jurisdictions specifically assessing developments or changes in cannabis-related enforcement practices and patterns from pre- to post-legalization contexts. While source data-related study approaches and policy settings are heterogeneous, essential results suggest that legalization policy implementation has been associated with mostly 1) substantive reductions in enforced cannabis (e.g. possession/use) offenses involving legal-age adults; 2) mixed – ranging from decreases to increases – developments regarding enforcement targeting (under-age) youth; 3) decreases in total but persistence of relative race-related enforcement disparities involving both adult and youth populations. These data imply at least partial legalization-related successes toward improved related ‘social justice’ aims in these respects, while key questions remain, specifically concerning systemic enforcement biases involving racial minorities and the criminalization of underage youth as vulnerable groups. These enforcement-related outcomes of cannabis legalization policies warrant continued monitoring and in-depth policy-analytical examination, while jurisdictions newly implementing legalization should pay particular attention to ‘social justice’ objectives.