The narrative error regarding plant regulation

The New York Times has a problem with marijuana. In a recent commentary, its editors opined that states have rushed to legalize the substance "without adequately regulating it." However, state markets are already highly regulated, and many of the Times' proposals are redundant or would unintentionally strengthen the illicit market.

The perception that states have legalized marijuana without adequate regulation is a misinterpretation of the current reality. Contrary to criticisms demanding higher taxes, legal markets already face rates as high as 40%, a figure that far exceeds those for alcohol. Imposing additional taxes would not improve public health; on the contrary, it would strengthen the illicit market by driving consumers away from safe, laboratory-tested products.

Furthermore, concerns about products with packaging attractive to minors often overlook the fact that these belong to the unregulated sector, as state licenses strictly prohibit such practices. Regarding public health, the data is compelling: since legalization began, youth consumption has fallen to historic lows, with declines of up to 45% among adolescents. Regulation is not a perfect process, but replacing criminal prohibition with a supervised market is a social advancement that the majority of citizens already support.