Source: The Washington Office on Latin America Impact on Consumption The impact on usage since of the liberalization of marijuana in Uruguay has been notable. The National Drug Council ‘s (JND) National Household Survey revealed that between 2001 and 2014 the percentage of the population that used marijuana within the last 12 months rose from 1.4% to 9.3%, while those using within the last 30 days increased from 0.5% of the population to 6.5%. By 2015, 14% were habitual users and 23% were occasional users[21]. The impact on youth consumption of marijuana is also significant. Marijuana use within the past 12 months by secondary school students increased to 17% of the population in 2014 compared to the 8.4% reported in 2003, with 9.5% reporting they used marijuana within that month [21,22]. Other estimates show that marijuana smoking prevalence increased 16.7 percentage points between 2001and 2014. Impact on Crime Crime may have been adversely affected by the change in the legal treatment of marijuana in Uruguay. It is estimated that gang-related homicides increased from 23% in 2011 to 36% in 2015[21]. Moreover, a 2018 article noted that since legalization in Uruguay, drug-related crimes have fallen 20% [23] However, it appears that the impact on such variable may vary over time, as an article published in 2016, indicated that 739 persons were indicted for drug-related crimes, in 2015, up from 538 in 2014. By 2016 that figure had increased to 1233. [23–25]. While one of the primary aims of the marijuana policy is to stifle the illegal marijuana market, National Board of Drugs (JND), National Household Survey revealed that 60% of users obtained their products on the black market [21]. Impact on Road Safety Vehicular accidents in Uruguay improved slightly, falling 4.51% from 24,400 in 2011 to 23,300 in 2015. The number of vehicle accidents fatalities dipped by 5.11% in 2014 when 538 fatalities were recorded compared to 567 in 2013. [21]. Impact on Government Revenues Government’s tax receipts from marijuana activity fees as regulated by the IRCCA’s are expected to climb annually, from an estimated 4 million Uruguayan pesos (US$138,192) in (year??) to 19 million pesos (US$656,412) in 2019. Projections put revenues from license fees at US$1.3 million between 2017-2019.
90