St. Catharines, Canada: The opening of licensed cannabis retailers is not associated with increases in local criminal activity, according to data published in The International Journal of Drug Policy.
A researcher with Brock University in Ontario assessed crime rates within 3000 meters of a pair of licensed cannabis stores (one in Toronto, the other in Ottawa) in the months immediately before and following their opening.
The investigator reported no changes in crime trends following the opening of the dispensaries. He further suggested that variations in local criminal activity are primarily driven by changing weather patterns (e.g., crime rose as days got warmer).
“Overall, the study found no significant associations between crime levels and legal cannabis store openings in these cities,” the study concluded.
The findings are consistent with those from studies in the United States determining that licensed cannabis retailers do not adversely impact local crime rates, adolescent use patterns, or home values. In fact, several studies have linked dispensary openings to subsequent rises in home values, while others have associated dispensary closings with spikes in local crime.
Full text of the study, “Crime levels near federally legal cannabis stores in two Canadian cities,” appears in The International Journal of Drug Policy. Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Societal Impacts of Cannabis Dispensaries/Retailers.’