Legalization of the non-medical use of cannabis is likely to provoke higher consumption and lower risk perception, as well as negatively impact the development of cognitive abilities and decision-making in young people, an annual report by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) said on Thursday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th March, 2023) Legalization of the non-medical use of cannabis is likely to provoke higher consumption and lower risk perception, as well as negatively impact the development of cognitive abilities and decision-making in young people, an annual report by the International Narcotics Control board (INCB) said on Thursday.
"Estimated data show that the most important effect of cannabis legalization is the likelihood of increased use, particularly among younger people ... There is evidence that the increased availability of cannabis products in States where consumption is legal has lowered the perception of risk among the population," the INCB press statement read.
The statement added that the "normalizing trend" has weakened the perception that the non-medical use of cannabis could negatively affect health and decision-making processes as well as the cognitive development of young people and their educational outcomes and social behaviors.
By legalizing the use of recreational cannabis, governments normally expect such benefits as less crime, more market transparency and more tax income. The watchdog warned, however, that none of these goals has been achieved in jurisdictions which legalized recreational marijuana as illegal markets continued to thrive, supplying 40% of consumption in Canada, nearly 50% in Uruguay and 75% in the US state of California.
Meanwhile, tax revenue from non-medical cannabis use has been lower than expected, "making up only 1 per cent of the budget in legalizing states," according to the report.
"INCB is clear that the legalization of cannabis for non-medical use is a violation of the drug conventions although there is a certain flexibility in the conventions when it comes to decriminalization and depenalization as alternative routes for cannabis offences," the report added.
The non-medical use of cannabis has been legalized and regulated in Uruguay, Canada, and 21 US states. Colombia partially decriminalized its use for recreational purposes, while Germany, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Switzerland are currently discussing cannabis legalization.
