Cannabis Myths countered by Facts

Sometimes pre-existing thoughts can really stump the progress of a subject matter and Cannabis is one of those subjects

Myth: “Young adults are the most interested in retail cannabis”

• Study: Seniors report cannabis helps relieve pain, insomnia, and anxiety
• Study: “Cannabis use among the elderly is growing as there is more public acceptance and reduced stigma.”
• Study: Plant-Derived THC/CBD Extracts Reduce Dementia Symptoms

Myth: “Voting to legalize retail cannabis will encourage young adult and teen users”

• Fact: Only those 21 years and older can purchase retail cannabis in Vermont
• Study: The presence of state-licensed cannabis retailers does not increase cannabis use or access among young people
• Study: Concentration of medical cannabis dispensaries surrounding young adult marijuana users was unrelated to the amount of usage.
• Study: Data shows no link between cannabis use and legal markets.

Myth: “Retail cannabis won’t benefit the Essex, Vermont community”

• Study: Retail cannabis facilities are associated with rising housing values and millions of dollars in new tax revenue.
• Study: Dispensary closures are associated with increases in crime.
• Study: Access to regulated cannabis is associated with declining alcohol consumption.

Myth: “Recreational cannabis will lead to an increase in overall drug use”

• Study: Retail cannabis access is associated with reduced opioid consumption by the general public.
• Study: Increased medical and recreational dispensary counts are associated with reduced opioid related mortality rates.

Myth: “The presence of retail cannabis storefronts has increased traffic fatalities”

• Analysis: Adult-use legalization laws are not associated with any significant upticks in traffic fatalities.

Fact: Teenage brain development can be impacted by cannabis consumption

• What are marijuana’s long-term effects on the brain? | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (nih.gov)

Fact: Cannabis legalization will boost our national economic growth

• Study: More than 300 economists signed a petition supporting saving $7.7 billion a year by not having to enforce marijuana prohibition while taxing the sale of cannabis instead
• Study: “We expected more potential impact from an economic downturn, but the industry has proven to be resilient.”

Fact: Cannabis retail shops will fill the unemployment gap with high-paying opportunities and upward mobility

• Study: National legalization in the US could result in $128.8 billion in tax revenue, and an estimated 1.6 million new jobs
• Study: The are 243,700 full-time-equivalent (FTE) jobs supported by legal cannabis as of January 2020, with a 15% year-over-year growth rate

Fact: Decrease in Teen Usage after Cannabis Legalization

• Study: Usage after the legalization of recreational cannabis has decreased among teenagers
• Study: Data suggests that regulating marijuana for adults’ use does not impact marijuana use among youth