A recent study found that medical marijuana legalization was associated with a reduction in workplace fatalities. Researchers looked at data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics between 1992 and 2015. They then compared the rates of workplace fatalities before and after a state legalized medical marijuana as well as between states that have and have not yet legalized medical marijuana.
In many ways, the rate of workplace fatalities didn’t change after legalization, but one demographic was greatly affected. The number of workplace fatalities among workers aged 25 to 44 dropped nearly 20 percent after medical marijuana legalization. The reason why? Medical marijuana legalization has increased likelihood of using cannabis instead of more dangerous substances, said the researchers.
