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Attitudes and Cannabis Legalization

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Handbook of Substance Misuse and Addictions

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Abstract

Cannabis policy has drastically evolved in recent years in the United States and elsewhere. As policy has changed, attitudes and perceptions of risk have also changed. The purpose of the present chapter was to (1) review how policy and attitudes related to cannabis legalization have changed over time, (2) explore common reasons for having positive and negative attitudes towards cannabis legalization, and (3) explore correlates of favoring and opposing legalization. Attitudes towards cannabis and legalization have become increasingly favorable over time, although youth cannabis use and road safety remain prominent concerns. Men, younger individuals, individuals who are politically liberal, and individuals with past exposure to cannabis are generally more likely to support legalization, although more work is needed to explore whether these correlates have changed over time and to examine differences across cultures.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Jennifer D. Ellis

  2. School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA

    Stella M. Resko

Authors
  1. Jennifer D. Ellis
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  2. Stella M. Resko
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Correspondence to Jennifer D. Ellis .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, UK

    Vinood B. Patel

  2. School of Life Course and Population Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London, UK

    Victor R. Preedy

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Ellis, J.D., Resko, S.M. (2022). Attitudes and Cannabis Legalization. In: Patel, V.B., Preedy, V.R. (eds) Handbook of Substance Misuse and Addictions. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92392-1_72

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