Legal cannabis leads to a healthier state

What happens after a state fully legalizes marijuana? A new study finding shows that legal cannabis leads to a healthier state, at least when it comes to mental disorders. Over 59 million Canadians and Americans suffer from a mental illness. It has become one of the most pressing health issues in countries and citizens are struggling to respond to it. Despite the gloom in some areas, states that legalize weed not only have happier citizens, they also generate more tax revenue than alcohol and have fewer drunk drivers.

In 1981, President Ronald Reagan, who had made great efforts during his tenure as governor to reduce funding and recruitment of mental institutions in California, pushed a policy initiative through the US Congress to repeal most of the Mental Health Systems Act . The MHSA was seen as a landmark piece of legislation in mental health care policy. The repeal paved the way to today’s homelessness and mental health crises.

This study finds that there was a 37% decrease in psychiatric admissions in the first few years after the states introduced legal marijuana. The results are determined by people under the age of 65, blacks and whites. There is also a significant decrease in Medicaid-funded treatment admissions, with the statistically insignificant effect being significantly smaller for non-Medicaid-funded admissions.

The data also showed a 37% decrease in admissions to mental health facilities, equivalent to about 92 fewer in every 10,000 people in the state. All round cost savings and better patient outcomes.

RELATED: Science says medical marijuana improves quality of life

The CDC has classified the growing prevalence of mental disorders and suicide as a “serious public health problem.” So it appears that this is a positive outcome for states, healthcare systems and the public alike.

In 2020, 30% of adults 18 years and older who had a mental illness in the past year and had perceived unmet needs for services reported not receiving care because their health insurance did not cover psychiatric services or provided insufficient coverage for mental illness paid health services. This figure was similar for people with severe mental illness.

Medical marijuana is a safer and cheaper way to help people. People are turning to cannabis rather than the addictive opioids that have caused such misery.

RELATED: Science tells us exactly how marijuana makes us happy

Reputable research has shown that cannabis and medical marijuana have benefits and are at least better than alcohol for the human body and brain.

Photo by AnnaStills/Getty Images

Mental illnesses are common. It is estimated that more than one in five adults in the US is living with a mental illness. Mental illnesses include many different disorders ranging in severity from mild to moderate to severe. It seems the federal government should use this data to evaluate a push for marijuana legalization.