Cannabis Policy and the Burden of Proof: Is It Now Beyond Reasonable Doubt That Cannabis Prohibition Is Not Working?

Simon Lenton, "Cannabis policy and the burden of proof: is it now beyond reasonable doubt that cannabis prohibition is not working?" Drug and Alcohol Review 19, no. 1 (2000): 95-100.

"Innocent until proven guilty" is how many policymakers have thought about the prohibition of marijuana in the U.S. and elsewhere. In this analysis, Australian researcher Simon Lenton finds that comparisons between states that have decriminalized cannabis and prohibitionist states show decriminalization has not led to higher rates of current cannabis use. He concludes "that it is now beyond reasonable doubt that applying criminal sanctions for minor cannabis offenses is not in the best interests of the community."

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