Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk.
Healthcare Analytics and Delivery Science Institute, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk.
JAMA Health Forum. 2021 Oct 29;2(10):e213435. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2021.3435. eCollection 2021 Oct.
Despite calls for cannabis decriminalization and legalization, research investigating the association of policy with arrest rates and racial disparities is scarce.
To examine racial differences in cannabis arrest rates among adults and youths after statewide decriminalization, legalization, and no policy changes.
This case-control study used race-based arrest data from the Uniform Crime Reporting Program and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results county-level population data from January 2000 through December 2019. Data were analyzed in July 2021. Event-study analyses based on the arrest rates from 43 US states were conducted to compare preimplementation and postimplementation differences in arrest rates for states with decriminalization, legalization, and no policy changes.
Nine states implemented legalization, 8 implemented decriminalization, and 26 had no policy change.
Outcome measures were cannabis arrest rates for Black and White adults and youths per year and by state, while controlling for several covariates.
Rates were reported per 100 000. When comparing absolute differences in arrests from January to December 2008 (before policy changes) to January to December 2019, legalization was associated with 561 and 195 fewer arrests and decriminalization with 448.6 and 117.1 fewer arrests for Black and White adults, respectively. States without a policy change saw reductions of 47.5 and 33.0 arrests for Black and White adults, respectively. Among youth, legalization was associated with 131.1 and 131.2 fewer arrests and decriminalization with 156.1 and 124.7 fewer arrests for Black and White youths, respectively. Among states without a policy change, arrests reduced by 35 and 52.4 for Black and White youths, respectively. Plotted trends of the arrest ratios from January 2000 through December 2019 suggests racial disparities remained over time. Event-study analyses suggest that decriminalization was associated with an arrest rate reduction for Black and White adults and youths. The timing of reductions suggests differential policy effects. Arrest disparities increased in states that did not have a cannabis policy change.
In this case-control study of states with and without cannabis decriminalization and legalization policies, increased arrest rate disparities in states without either policy highlight the need for targeted interventions to address racial injustice.
尽管人们呼吁大麻合法化和非刑事化，但关于政策与逮捕率和种族差异之间关联的研究仍然很少。
在全州范围内大麻非刑事化、合法化和无政策变化后，调查成年人和青少年中与种族有关的大麻逮捕率差异。
设计、地点和参与者：本病例对照研究使用了统一犯罪报告计划中的种族为基础的逮捕数据，以及 2000 年 1 月至 2019 年 12 月的监测、流行病学和最终结果县一级人口数据。数据于 2021 年 7 月进行分析。对来自美国 43 个州的逮捕率进行事件研究分析，以比较非刑事化、合法化和无政策变化的州在实施前后逮捕率的差异。
9 个州实施了合法化，8 个州实施了非刑事化，26 个州没有政策变化。
结果衡量标准为每年每 10 万成年人和青少年的大麻逮捕率，并控制了几个协变量。
报告的比率为每 10 万人。将 2008 年 1 月至 12 月（政策变化前）与 2019 年 1 月至 12 月的绝对逮捕差异进行比较时，合法化分别与黑人成年人减少 561 次和 195 次逮捕，与白人成年人减少 448.6 次和 117.1 次逮捕有关。没有政策变化的州分别减少了黑人成年人 47.5 次和 33.0 次逮捕，白人成年人 47.5 次和 33.0 次逮捕。在年轻人中，合法化与黑人青年减少 131.1 次和 131.2 次逮捕，与白人青年减少 156.1 次和 124.7 次逮捕有关。与没有政策变化的州相比，黑人青年的逮捕率分别减少了 35 次和 52.4 次，白人青年的逮捕率分别减少了 35 次和 52.4 次。从 2000 年 1 月到 2019 年 12 月的逮捕率趋势图表明，种族差异随着时间的推移仍然存在。事件研究分析表明，非刑事化与黑人成年人和年轻人的逮捕率降低有关。减少的时间表明政策效果的差异。在没有大麻政策变化的州，逮捕率的差距有所增加。
在这项关于大麻非刑事化和合法化政策的州的病例对照研究中，没有这些政策的州的逮捕率差距加大突显了需要有针对性的干预措施来解决种族不公正问题。
