Evaluating the impact of Canadian cannabis legalization on cannabis use outcomes in emerging adults: Comparisons to a US control sample via a natural experiment

BACKGROUND: Recreational cannabis legalization marked a significant policy shift in Canada, but has been difficult to evaluate because of the absence of a control group. Although it is unfeasible to evaluate legalization using a randomized controlled trial design, sophisticated statistical techniques can employ quasi-experimental designs using natural experiments. This study evaluates the impact of cannabis legalization in a longitudinal cohort …