With the legal weed market starting up in Colorado and Washington this year, marijuana is being widely discussed among scientists and researchers across the country. Today at noon on Think, we'll be speaking with Dr. Francesca Filbey and Dr. Robert Morris, two researchers at UT Dallas who've recently completed studies about pot, addiction and crime.
During the first four months of a legal recreational marijuana market in Colorado, sales raked in $11 million in tax revenue. Meanwhile, in Washington, recreational pot sales opened up earlier this month. Advocates for legalization are making moves now in Oregon and Alaska for the upcoming election.
With a legal market now in place, the drug is being studied more closely. Filbey and Morris are two North Texas researchers making breakthroughs in studying the drug's affects, as well as its impact on communities.
Filbey completed a study this month about marijuana dependence and the brain's response to drug paraphernalia. Her study showed that there are varied levels of dependence on marijuana and treatment for addiction may differ on these levels.
Morris' research showed that in places where medical marijuana is legalized, crime rates don't increase. In fact, with some types of crime, the rates actually decreased. Morris said that this doesn't exactly mean that marijuana directly reduces homicide but the study debunks the myth that crime increases with legalization.
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