An analysis of intimate partner violence (IPV) found that recreational cannabis legalization contributed to a significant reduction in reported IPV rates. The study also suggested that cannabis consumption may be less of a risk factor for IPV than previously believed. As the United States and other countries implement legal cannabis programs, access to cannabis has increased, and many adults are possibly substituting cannabis for alcohol. The findings highlight the likelihood that recreational cannabis legalization impacts the relationship between heavy alcohol consumption and IPV.
Data analysis focused on crime data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) collected from 2013 to 2019. In states without legal adult-use cannabis, intimate partner violence rates appeared to drop as the proportion of individuals engaging in heavy consumption increased. The analysis revealed that recreational cannabis legalization resulted in 56.6 fewer reported IPV incidents per 100,000 people. The finding suggests that states without legal recreational cannabis have lower IPV rates as heavy drinking increases. The analysis showed that a one percentage point increase in the population of heavy drinkers results in 5.6 fewer IPV reported cases.
Study author Samantha Gene Baldwin submitted her analysis for her Georgetown University master of public policy thesis. Baldwin explained the significance of the findings that suggest legal recreational cannabis reduces IPV rates: “As marijuana use is a known risk factor for IPV and legalization of recreational marijuana typically increases usage, RML could be expected to increase rates of IPV. Reduced alcohol use could complicate this relationship if marijuana acts as a substitute to alcohol. As alcohol consumption is a greater risk factor for IPV than marijuana use, any reduction in alcohol consumption would lessen the impact of RML on IPV.” The increased usage could be acting as a substitute for alcohol and illicit drugs that have a more pronounced impact on IPV rates. Further studies on the relationship between legal cannabis, alcohol use, and IPV are critical for effective regulatory policy development.
In states without legal adult-use cannabis, intimate partner violence rates appeared to drop as the proportion of individuals engaging in heavy consumption increased. The finding suggests that states without legal recreational cannabis have lower rates of IPV as heavy drinking increases. The analysis showed that a one percentage point increase in the heavy drinker population results in 5.6 fewer IPV-reported cases.
Sources: Georgetown University, Marijuana Moment