Friday Fact: Weed increased traffic fatalities in Alaska by 75%

Per a new study by researchers from the London School of Economics, the legalization of recreational marijuana increased traffic fatalities by 75% in Alaska, 18% in California, 16% in Oregon, and 15% in Colorado through 2019. The researchers note: “Our study found that the change in law caused an increase in fatal traffic crashes in many of these states until 2019.” This finding wrecks the claim, popular among legalization advocates, that legalization will not harm anyone (and that weed never killed anyone). These new data are in line with federal numbers and other state-level drilldowns. When it comes to Big Weed, the numbers make it increasingly clear that cashing in on addiction is more important than keeping people safe on the roads—and everywhere else.  

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