American state legalises marijuana - and crime drops 15%

Anti-marijuana activists have warned that legalising weed would lead to increased drug addiction, mental problems and crime – but in Colorado, which legalised recreational use of marijuana, the opposite has happened.

Overall, crime has fallen by 15% and murder has dropped by 50%.

Sexual assaults and car crime have fallen, and violent crime is down 10% overall.


Sales of legalised marijuana have boomed in the state – with more then £22 million sold in August alone.

The state puts 10% of that money towards building and maintaining schools, with donations now at £2.2 million per month.

The state’s 100 legal ‘dispensaries’ will bring in £20 million this year in taxes if sales continue at this level.