Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

Public Safety

Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Not Necessarily Linked To Crime, Study Finds

New research suggests neighborhoods with medical marijuana dispensaries aren’t necessarily linked to higher crime rates.

UCLA researchers came to that conclusion based on data for the city of Sacramento in 2009.

Dr. Bridget Freisthler is co-author of the study.

Advertisement

“If we’re going to start making public policies about what to do with these dispensaries, do we have them, do we not, if we do, do we regulate them, can we regulate them, You know, what’s the number that’s too many dispensaries, or too few… we really need to have some good research."

Freisthler says the medical marijuana dispensary study isn’t comprehensive. For example, it doesn’t look at how crime relates to the dispensaries over time. The researchers will release that and other findings about the shops in Sacramento and other California cities over the next year.

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.