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Comment and Society

Legalising marijuana hasn't been the quick fix the US hoped for

More than 20 US states have now legalised recreational cannabis, but the devastating effects of prohibition have yet to be overcome, says Zachary Siegel  

By Zachary Siegel

21 October 2023

Hundreds of pro-cannabis demonstrators march in New York City

Attitudes to marijuana have dramatically shifted in the US

Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The American public’s attitude towards drugs is notoriously finicky. Our views tend to swing drastically, from favouring heavily-enforced prohibition to laid-back, libertine consumption. More than any other drug, cannabis embodies this extreme shift.

In 1969, just 12 per cent of Americans thought marijuana should be legal. By 2022, an overwhelming 88 per cent of US adults believed the drug should be legal for medical purposes, recreational use or both. This about-face in public opinion is increasingly reflected in our drug laws: 23 states (and counting)…

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