Academic Journal
Police experiences with cannabis legalization and perceptions of broader drug policy reform.
| Τίτλος: | Police experiences with cannabis legalization and perceptions of broader drug policy reform. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Silberzahn BE; Division of Internal Medicine Research, Brown University Health, USA. Electronic address: Bradley_Silberzahn@brown.edu., Schneider KE; Department of Health, Behavior, & Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA., Sisson LN; Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA., Winiker AK; Department of Health, Policy & Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA., Weiss M; Department of Epidemiology, New York University School of Global Public Health, USA., Pozo BD; Division of Internal Medicine Research, Brown University Health, USA., Rouhani S; Department of Epidemiology, New York University School of Global Public Health, USA. |
| Πηγή: | The International journal on drug policy [Int J Drug Policy] 2026 Aug; Vol. 154, pp. 105356. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jun 04. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Elsevier Country of Publication: Netherlands NLM ID: 9014759 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1873-4758 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 09553959 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Int J Drug Policy Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: 1998- : Amsterdam ; New York : Elsevier Original Publication: Liverpool, England : International Journal on Drug Policy |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Police*/psychology , Drug and Narcotic Control*/legislation & jurisprudence , Cannabis* , Legislation, Drug*, Illicit Drugs/legislation & jurisprudence ; Humans ; Baltimore ; Law Enforcement ; Male ; Public Policy ; Female ; Adult |
| Περίληψη: | Background: Sustained attention to the harms and ineffectiveness of punitive drug law enforcement is prompting jurisdictions across the U.S. to explore safer supply and legalization of cannabis and other illicit substances. As reform debates intensify, understanding the experiences and perspectives of police officers, who play an outsized role in policy implementation, is essential. This study examines police officers' experiences with cannabis legalization and perceptions of safer supply and legalization of other drugs in Baltimore City, MD. Methods: We conducted 22 in-depth interviews with Baltimore Police Department officers purposively recruited from roll call shifts between January and June 2024. Interviews explored officers' experiences with recent drug policy reforms (de jure cannabis legalization, de facto drug decriminalization) and perspectives on potential policy solutions, including safer supply and legalization. Transcribed interviews were coded using template analysis and interpreted through a labor process framework. Results: Officers opposed zero-tolerance criminalization of cannabis, and to some extent other substances, but criticized current models of cannabis legalization and expressed skepticism toward expanding licit access to other drugs. Officer accounts of increased public consumption, persistent illicit markets, and drug-related violence, combined with diminished enforcement authority under cannabis legalization led officers to anticipate similar challenges with safer supply and legalization of other substances. Conclusions: This study reveals how cannabis legalization experiences shape street-level officers' perceptions of broader drug policy reforms, highlighting critical implementation gaps around equitable market access, public substance use, and drug-related violence. Addressing these challenges is essential for both securing police buy-in and achieving sustainable, equitable drug policy reforms that meet their intended public health and safety goals. (Copyright © 2026 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.) |
| Competing Interests: | Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Cannabis; Harm reduction; Policing; Policy implementation; Safer supply; Substance use |
| Substance Nomenclature: | 0 (Illicit Drugs) |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260603 Date Completed: 20260613 Latest Revision: 20260613 |
| Update Code: | 20260613 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.drugpo.2026.105356 |
| PMID: | 42236387 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1873-4758 |
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| DOI: | 10.1016/j.drugpo.2026.105356 |