Gone to Pot

Advocates of the legalization of marijuana vowed it would turn the illicit market into a safe, regulated industry. But experts tell Newsweek that these laws need revisiting

-  JESUS MESA

WHEN MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION FIRST STARTED gaining momentum in the United States, it was heralded as a progressive step toward criminal justice reform, economic growth and public health benefits. Advocates promised that legal cannabis would eliminate the illicit market, generate tax revenue and ensure a safe, well-regulated industry.

That is not how things have turned out.

Across the country, signs of disillusionment are emerging. Illegal dispensaries continue to thrive, crime linked to the cannabis trade is rising and critics argue that the public was misled about the risks of high-potency pot that has flooded the legal market.

A growing number of experts, politicians and even former supporters of legalization are questioning whether states that rolled out legal weed got it wrong. Keith Humphreys, a professor at Stanford University specializing in drug policy, argues that legalization was sold to the public on overly optimistic premises. "People were told not only does this have no health harm, but it's actually good for you," he told Newsweek. "They were promised a well-regulated industry that would behave, pay a lot of taxes and create jobs. None of those things have happened, so it's understandable that there would be buyer's remorse."

In New York, legalization has turned into what even the progressive Governor Kathy Hochul has called "a disaster." The state has struggled to control the black market, with as many as 8,000 unlicensed dispensaries in New York City alone, compared with just 140 legal operations. "The illegal shops have severely undercut the legal market," Humphreys said. "They sell the same products at a fraction of the price, with no oversight-evading taxes, flouting safety regulations and often offering high-potency THC products to minors." THC is the component in cannabis responsible for its psychoactive effects.