Cannabis Legalization in the United States: Public Policy, Social Welfare, and Public Health Implications

Dear Colleagues,

During the last decade, there have been increased efforts to legalize cannabis across the United States. The trend toward legalization and decriminalization began with laws that permitted the sale and use of medical marijuana. These reforms were followed by laws permitting the sale and use of recreational marijuana. To date, medical and/or recreational cannabis is legal in some form in 37 states. Changes in the legal status of cannabis have a number of implications for society. A range of research questions stem from the legalization of cannabis across disciplines in the social sciences, health sciences, and the professional fields of public health, law, urban planning, social welfare, and public policy. This Special Issue will focus on recent research on cannabis legalization and decriminalization in the United States. We are interested in submissions that represent the spectrum of issues arising from reforms to cannabis policies at the federal, state, and local levels. We invite you to contribute to this Special Issue with an original research or review article.

Prof. Dr. Robert Mark Silverman
Dr. Kelly Patterson
Topic Editors