Implications of Cannabis Legalization on Juvenile Justice Outcomes and Racial Disparities
Open accessAbstract
Introduction The objective of this study is to assess the changes in rates of juvenile cannabis criminal allegations and racial disparities in Oregon after legalization of cannabis (July 2015) for adults. Methods This study included all allegations for cannabis-related offenses that occurred from January 2012 to September 2018 in Oregon. Negative binomial regression models were used to examine monthly cannabis allegation rates over time, and tested differences between youth of color and white youth, adjusting for age, gender, and month the allegation occurred. Analysis was conducted in January-March 2019. Results Cannabis allegation rates increased 28% among all youth and 32% among cannabis-using youth after legalization. Rates of allegations were highest for American Indian/Alaska Native and black youth. Rates for black youth were double that of whites before legalization, and this disparity decreased after legalization. For American Indian/Alaska Native youth, rates were higher than whites before legalization, and this disparity remained unchanged. Conclusions Adult cannabis legalization in Oregon was associated with increased juvenile cannabis allegations; increases are not explained by changes in underage cannabis use. Relative disparities decreased for black youth but remained unchanged for American Indian/Alaska Native youth. Changing regulations following adult cannabis legalization could have unintended negative impacts on youth.
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While one study suggested minimal decreases for substance-use related arrests in adults, the findings were not consistent across the two studies examining arrest-rates in youth.
“While one study did suggest minimal decreases for substance-use related arrests in adults, the findings were not consistent across the two studies examining arrest-rates in youth.100-102”
From The Impact of Recreational Cannabis Legalization on Cannabis Use and Associated Outcomes: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [101]
The Discussion (page not provided) explicitly says this study found an increase in juvenile cannabis allegations, unlike another study that found no effect on juvenile cannabis-possession arrests. That supports the claim that the youth findings differed, but this paper measured allegations, not arrest rates; the Discussion distinguishes those outcomes. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThere was very little evidence of decreases in disparities for cannabis-related arrests following RCL.
“Regarding racial disparities and RCL, there was very little evidence of decreases in disparities for cannabis-related arrests following RCL.100,101”
From The Impact of Recreational Cannabis Legalization on Cannabis Use and Associated Outcomes: A Systematic Review (2023) · cites this paper as [101]
The Results report no significant decrease in the disparity between AI/AN and white youth after legalization, but a significant decrease in the disparity between Black and white youth. The study measures juvenile cannabis allegations in Oregon, not arrests generally, so the claim overlooks a documented decrease and broadens the outcome studied. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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Research works printed but not linked: 17
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Farrelly, K. N., Wardell, J. D., Marsden, E., Scarfe, M. L., Najdzionek, P., Turna, J., & MacKillop, J. (2023) · Substance Abuse Research and Treatment · doi:10.1177/11782218231172054 · Cited by 148 · see citing works
- Authors
- Firth, C. L., Hajat, A., Dilley, J. A., Braun, M., & Maher, J. E.
- Affiliations
- University of Washington (US)
- Multnomah County Health Department (US)
- Corresponding author
- Firth, Caislin L.
- Venue
- American Journal of Preventive Medicine
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2020-04
- Volume
- 58
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 562-569
- ISSN
- 0749-3797 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC7266456
- OpenAlex
- W3004775400
- Cited by
- 39
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5
- FWCI
- 7.69
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- American Journal of Preventive Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute on Drug Abuse of the NIH (1R01DA039293)
- NIH
- American Public Health Association
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Criminal Law and Policy
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
- Keywords
- cannabis legalization, juvenile justice, racial disparities, youth of color, Native American youth, Black youth, Oregon
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Black or African American, Child, Female, Humans, Legislation, Drug, Male, Marijuana Smoking, Oregon, Law Enforcement, Racism
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