Despite a strong, bipartisan major in New Hampshire supporting cannabis legalization (5/25/21 UNH survey), Rep. Homola starts her recent My Turn (Monitor, 2/24) with a scary list of problems from cannabis legalization. Virtually everything that Rep. Homola says, however, is incorrect or unsupported by evidence.
A meta-analysis of 55 studies in 2018 found no adolescent increase following legalization. A 2021 study found no increase in traffic injuries in Canada following legalization. Multiple studies in the U.S. find similar stability in traffic fatalities. New Hampshire has experienced increased welfare caseloads more than most of the U.S., and there is no evidence that it is linked to cannabis legalization. Also, multiple studies have found that many pain patients consuming cannabis reduced their opioid use. It is way past time for New Hampshire to end cannabis prohibition. Millions of dollars of tax revenue could do a lot for New Hampshire schools.
Michael Milburn
Newton