Claim: There is a demonstrable link between marijuana legalization and an increase in violent crime.
Verdict: REFUTES

Retrieved passages:
title: Decriminalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States
text: found the "high" from cannabis is unlikely to trigger violence and concluded: In 2004, a study by Scott Bates from the Boreal Economic Analysis & Research center entitled "The Economic Implications of Marijuana Legalization in Alaska", was prepared for Alaskans for Rights & Revenues. The study found there was no link between cannabis use and criminal behavior. A 2014 study published in PLoS ONE found that not only did the legalization of Medical cannabis did not increase violent crime, but that a 2.4% reduction in homicide and assault was found for each year the law was in effect. The Drug

title: Decriminalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States
text: usage and an increase in crime, but rather have found cannabis may decrease criminal behavior when under the influence. In 1973, a report by the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse entitled "Marijuana: A Signal of Misunderstanding" found marijuana does not cause violent or aggressive behavior, but rather "marijuana was usually found to inhibit the expression of aggressive impulses by pacifying the user, interfering with muscular coordination, reducing psychomotor activities and generally producing states of drowsiness lethargy, timidity and passivity." In 2001, a report by David Boyum and Mark A.R. Kleiman entitled "Substance Abuse Policy from a Crime-Control Perspective"

title: Medical cannabis in the United States
text: study similarly found that introduction of medical cannabis laws caused a reduction in violent crime in American states that border Mexico. A 2013 study found that medical cannabis legalization is associated with an 8-11% reduction in traffic fatalities. Several studies have found decreased rates of opioid use and abuse in states that have legalized medical cannabis. Several studies have found no increase in teen use in states that have legalized cannabis for medical purposes. A 2018 meta-analysis in the journal "Addiction" similarly found no increase. Below is a comparison of medical conditions for which doctors can recommend cannabis in each

title: Effects of legalized cannabis
text: Effects of legalized cannabis Cannabis is a legal recreational and medical drug in several countries and US states and there have been several effects of the drug being legalized. A 2017 study found that the introduction of medical marijuana laws caused a reduction in violent crime in Americans states that border Mexico: "The reduction in crime is strongest for countries close to the border (less than 350km), and for crimes that relate to drug trafficking. In addition, we find that MMLs in inland states lead to a reduction in crime in the nearest border state. Our results are consistent with

title: Drug Trafficking Safe Harbor Elimination Act
text: more likely to commit crimes than those who did not use. This study also showed that 26.1% of those interviewed in 1991 and used cannabis, alcohol, and/or cocaine had committed a violent crime during the last year. There is a proven link that shows a strong correlation between illicit drug use and crime. Often these criminal acts are committed to obtain goods or money to support the drug habit. Thus, increasing concern for legislation to continue to look for possible solutions. The United States not only focuses on its borders, it focuses beyond its soil in attempts to prevent what

title: Correlation does not imply causation
text: children like watching more TV than less violent ones. A correlation between recreational drug use and psychiatric disorders might be either way around: perhaps the drugs cause the disorders, or perhaps people use drugs to self medicate for preexisting conditions. Gateway drug theory may argue that marijuana usage leads to usage of harder drugs, but hard drug usage may lead to marijuana usage (see also "confusion of the inverse"). Indeed, in the social sciences where controlled experiments often cannot be used to discern the direction of causation, this fallacy can fuel long-standing scientific arguments. One such example can be found

title: Effects of legalized cannabis
text: the theory that decriminalization of the production and distribution of marijuana leads to a reduction in violent crime in markets that are traditionally controlled by Mexican drug trafficking organisations." In Colorado, effects since 2014 include increased state revenues, violent crime decreased, an increase in homeless population, one Colorado hospital has received a 15% increase in babies born with THC in their blood. Since legalization, public health and law enforcement officials in Colorado have grappled with a number of issues, serving as a model for policy problems that come with legalization. Marijuana-related hospital visits have nearly doubled between 2011, prior to

title: Decriminalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States
text: 2010, a study from the University of New Hampshire examined survey data from 1,286 young adults who had attended Miami-Dade County Public Schools in the 1990s and found the association between teenage cannabis use and other illicit drug abuse by young adults was significantly diminished after controlling for other factors, such as unemployment. They found that after young adults reach age 21, the gateway effect subsides entirely. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has claimed that cannabis leads to increased crime in the unsourced pamphlet entitled "Speaking Out Against Drug Legalization" Studies have found no evidence of a link between cannabis

title: Decriminalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States
text: than in states that treated it as a civil offense; (3) easing the penalties for marijuana did not lead to a substantial increase in the use of either alcohol or hard drugs." The Drug Enforcement Administration has reported that cannabis sales and trafficking support violent criminal gangs. Proponents of fully decriminalizing cannabis to allow the regulated cultivation and sale of cannabis, including Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, argue that fully decriminalizing cannabis would largely decrease financial gains earned by gangs in black market cannabis sales and trafficking. A study in the "Journal of Policy Analysis and Management" by Mark Anderson and

title: Cannabis and impaired driving
text: involvement associated with the use of drugs must be regarded as modest...Compared to the huge increase in accident risk associated with alcohol, as well as the high accident rate among young drivers, the increases in risk associated with the use of drugs are surprisingly small."" A report from the University of Colorado, Montana State University, and the University of Oregon found that on average, states that have legalized medical cannabis had a decrease in traffic-related fatalities by 8–11%. The researchers hypothesized "it’s just safer to drive under the influence of marijuana than it is drunk...Drunk drivers take more risk, they

title: 2010 California Proposition 19
text: anticipated that legalizing marijuana in the state could generate up to $18 billion, including the creation of 60,000-110,000 jobs. Some argued that legalization of marijuana could reduce drug-related violence, based on a study conducted by the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy. This study found that drug law enforcement contributes to increased levels of drug-related violence and suggests that "alternative models for drug control" may be necessary. Opponents of Prop 19 argued that legalizing marijuana in California using the current proposition would have numerous negative consequences. They cited current Federal laws banning the cultivation, sale, and use of the

title: Decriminalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States
text: Partnership for a Drug-Free America with support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the White House Office of Drug Control Policy launched a campaign against cannabis use citing a Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) report, which claimed that cannabis users are 85 times more likely than non-cannabis users to try cocaine. However, an article published in "The Activist Guide" by John Morgan and Lynn Zimmer entitled "Marijuana's Gateway Myth", claims CASA's statistic is false. The article states: Multiple opponents of cannabis decriminalization have claimed increased cannabis use results in increased abuse of other illicit drugs.

title: Decriminalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States
text: which is well documented in areas of Northern California. As with any other agricultural crop, increase in demand leads to increased clear cutting of forests which can increase erosion, habitat destruction, and river diversion. Legalization and subsequent regulation could mitigate such issues. In 1985, Gabriel G. Nahas published "Keep Off the Grass", which stated that "[the] biochemical changes induced by marijuana in the brain result in drug-seeking, drug taking behavior, which in many instances will lead the user to experiment with other pleasurable substances. The risk of progression from marijuana to cocaine to heroin is now well documented." In 1995,

title: Decriminalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States
text: "there is little evidence that decriminalization of marijuana use necessarily leads to a substantial increase in marijuana use." In 2001, a report by Robert MacCoun and Peter Reuter entitled "Evaluating alternative cannabis regimes", was published in the British Journal of Psychiatry. The report found there was no available evidence cannabis use would increase if cannabis were decriminalized. In 2004, a study entitled "The Limited Relevance of Drug Policy: Cannabis in Amsterdam and in San Francisco", found strict laws against cannabis use have a low impact on usage rates. Studies conducted following the legalization of cannabis in Washington and Colorado show

title: Cannabis (drug)
text: has been hotly debated as it is regarded by some as the primary rationale for the United States prohibition on cannabis use. A Pew Research Center poll found that political opposition to marijuana use was significantly associated with concerns about health effects and whether legalization would increase marijuana use by children. Some studies state that while there is no proof for the gateway hypothesis, young cannabis users should still be considered as a risk group for intervention programs. Other findings indicate that hard drug users are likely to be poly-drug users, and that interventions must address the use of multiple

title: Marijuana Control, Regulation, and Education Act
text: is designed to raise revenue for the state, but it also provides funding for the education of discouraging substance abuse, as mentioned in the name. As Mr. Ammiano introduced the bill, he is quoted saying: A UC Santa Cruz study shows that people living in Cannabis-tolerant cities like Amsterdam and San Francisco are no more or less likely to use the drug. Prominent economists, specifically Jeffrey Miron, support the regulation of "Cannabis" due to the heavy violence across the U.S. and Mexico border. Economists argue that regulation would put infamous drug cartels, especially Los Zetas, out of business, improve safety

title: 2010 California Proposition 19
text: to pursue violent crime in lieu of marijuana-related crime. A Rand Corporation study found that passage of the measure would likely do little to curtail the drug trade and cartel violence stemming from Latin America. Opponents also argued that passage would reflect softening attitudes in America toward drug consumption. Supporters of medicinal marijuana use expressed concern that Prop 19 could burden growers with increased regulations. Also cited were potential confusion caused by double selling rules and a potential threat to existing protections for medical marijuana users. The first cannabis prohibition laws in California were passed in 1913. In the 1972

title: Decriminalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States
text: Daniel Reese indicated that increased marijuana use in California is a substitute for alcohol. This research showed that participants frequently choose marijuana over other substances. They reported that over 41 percent of the people said that they prefer to use marijuana instead of alcohol. Some of the main reasons for this substitute were 'less withdrawal', 'fewer side-effects' and 'better symptom management'. California Secretary of State's office said that on September 7, 2010 the beer lobby donated $10,000 to Public Safety First, a group which opposed the passage of Proposition 19 to legalize cannabis. The Marijuana Policy Project argues that: Cannabis

title: Urban legends about drugs
text: that the BAC had returned to zero by that point. Originating in the 1930s, this myth was the basis for films like "Reefer Madness", and used by Harry Anslinger of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics as justification for outlawing cannabis. The allegation was that even the calmest, most normal person could be transformed into a psychopathic killer or rapist solely from smoking a joint. No relationship has ever been proven linking such crimes to the acute intoxication of cannabis alone, and cannabis' psychological effects tend to be more associated with pacifism and inactivity than with aggression. For example, studies of

title: Tom Tancredo
text: called for a civics literacy test before voting. Tancredo has declared himself in favor of the legalization of marijuana. He said that his reasons to legalize marijuana include "The issue of violence that surrounds it—not just on the border—and the crimes all over the place. The number of people in prison and the amount we spend to keep them there. The broken families." While in Congress, Tancredo voted each year to attach an amendment, which never passed, that would have prevented the US Justice Department from spending any money to "enforce any drug laws in contradiction to state law." Said