@article{ref1,
title="Crime and the legalization of recreational marijuana",
journal="Journal of economic behavior and organization",
year="2019",
author="Dragone, Davide and Prarolo, Giovanni and Vanin, Paolo and Zanella, Giulio",
volume="159",
number="",
pages="488-501",
abstract="First-pass evidence is provided that the legalization of the cannabis market across US states is inducing a crime drop. We exploit the staggered legalization of recreational marijuana enacted by the adjacent states of Washington (end of 2012) and Oregon (end of 2014). Combining county-level difference-in-differences and spatial regression discontinuity designs, we find that the policy caused a significant reduction in rapes and property crimes on the Washington side of the border in 2013-2014 relative to the Oregon side and relative to the pre-legalization years 2010-2012. The legalization also increased consumption of marijuana and reduced consumption of other drugs and both ordinary and binge alcohol. Four possible mechanisms are discussed: the direct psychotropic effects of cannabis; substitution away from violence-inducing substances; reallocation of police effort; reduced role of criminals in the marijuana business.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0167-2681",
doi="10.1016/j.jebo.2018.02.005",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2018.02.005"
}