Cannabis legalization: a call for the integration of main health and crime indicator domains towards comprehensive policy impact assessments.

IF 2.3 3区医学 Q2 HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES Journal of Public Health Policy Pub Date : 2025-01-19 DOI:10.1057/s41271-025-00552-2

Benedikt Fischer, Tessa Robinson, Didier Jutras-Aswad

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Abstract

Several jurisdictions have implemented legalization policies for non-medical cannabis, mainly towards improving public health and reducing illegal cannabis markets and crime. As some legalization initiatives are approaching maturity, conducting policy impact assessments has become timely. Emerging data, however, suggest rather mixed pictures for key outcomes and indicators. While many key health-related indicators show increases in adverse outcomes, improvements are shown for main crime-related outcomes associated with legalization. However, legalization policies are evaluated predominantly by utilizing separate approaches for the health outcomes and crime-related indicators, while comprehensive policy assessments require meaningful integration of all related indicators. We provide suggestions for an integrated approach to assessing cannabis legalization policies concerning health and crime-related outcomes. This approach is also valuable for policymakers and other stakeholders to create an empirical basis for relative valuations and choices regarding cannabis legalization's main policy outcomes.

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大麻合法化：呼吁将主要健康和犯罪指标领域纳入全面政策影响评估。

一些司法管辖区实施了非医用大麻合法化政策，主要是为了改善公众健康和减少非法大麻市场和犯罪。随着一些合法化倡议接近成熟，进行政策影响评估是及时的。然而，新出现的数据显示，关键成果和指标的情况相当复杂。虽然许多与健康有关的关键指标表明，不良后果有所增加，但与合法化有关的主要与犯罪有关的后果有所改善。然而，对合法化政策的评价主要是采用单独的方法来评估健康结果和与犯罪有关的指标，而全面的政策评估则需要有意义地综合所有相关指标。我们建议采取综合办法，评估大麻合法化政策对健康和与犯罪有关的结果的影响。对于决策者和其他利益攸关方来说，这种方法也很有价值，可以为大麻合法化的主要政策结果的相对估值和选择创造经验基础。

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来源期刊

Journal of Public Health Policy 医学-公共卫生、环境卫生与职业卫生

CiteScore

5.70

自引率

2.60%

发文量

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： The Journal of Public Health Policy (JPHP) will continue its 35 year tradition: an accessible source of scholarly articles on the epidemiologic and social foundations of public health policy, rigorously edited, and progressive. JPHP aims to create a more inclusive public health policy dialogue, within nations and among them. It broadens public health policy debates beyond the ''health system'' to examine all forces and environments that impinge on the health of populations. It provides an exciting platform for airing controversy and framing policy debates - honing policies to solve new problems and unresolved old ones. JPHP welcomes unsolicited original scientific and policy contributions on all public health topics. New authors are particularly encouraged to enter debates about how to improve the health of populations and reduce health disparities.