Canada legalized cannabis in 2018 and has since seen mixed results from the new laws, according to a new study.
The research, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, suggests the social justice benefits have outweighed the health benefits.
The report says cannabis was legalized to help improve public health and safety while reducing youth access and illegal activities related to cannabis.
Some Canadian officials opposed legalization over potential public health problems.
"At this stage, cannabis legalization in Canada appears not to have been the public health disaster anticipated by some of its opponents,” wrote Dr. Benedikt Fischer.
“But it cannot be described as a comprehensive or unequivocal success for public health either."
The study points to evidence that cannabis use, cannabis-related emergency department visits and admissions, and cannabis-related impaired driving have increased.
However, cannabis consumers increasingly use legal channels, leading to a decrease in cannabis-related arrests.
