Beware the Backlash - The re?-demonization of marijuana in response to legalization in Colorado and Washington

• In Event: The Changing Dynamics of Cannabis: Attitudes, Policy and Medical Uses

Abstract

Marijuana legalization measures in Colorado and Washington State (as well as the recent passage of medical marijuana legislation in several other states, and increasing support for legalization nationally) has led to a re-demonization of the substance, particularly on the part of law enforcement and the federal government’s Office of National Drug Control Policy. This paper outlines the themes emphasized in this re-demonization, and deconstructs the claims made through the evaluation of scientific evidence on marijuana.

Authors

• Clayton Mosher, Washington State University, Vancouver

• Scott Akins, Oregon State University