Posted on Wed, June 14 2017
You read that correctly. Medical marijuana laws can be directly tied to a 12.5% decrease in violent crimes throughout border states, according to a new study published in the Economic Journal. As Vice notes:
“The effect is most pronounced in counties closest to the border (less than 350 kilometers or about 217 miles), and diminishes as you move further inland. The study also shows evidence of "spillover effects"—when an inland state legalizes medical marijuana, the nearest border state sees a decrease in crime. That findings support the theory that the arrival of medical marijuana leads traffickers to dial back their efforts.”
Read more about the study here.
