Police experiences with cannabis legalization and perceptions of broader drug policy reform

Sustained attention to the harms and ineffectiveness of punitive drug law enforcement is prompting jurisdictions across the U.S. to explore safer supply and legalization of cannabis and other illicit substances. As reform debates intensify, understanding the experiences and perspectives of police officers, who play an outsized role in policy implementation, is essential. This study examines police officers' experiences with cannabis legalization and perceptions of safer supply and legalization of other drugs in Baltimore City, MD.

We conducted 22 in-depth interviews with Baltimore Police Department officers purposively recruited from roll call shifts between January and June 2024. Interviews explored officers' experiences with recent drug policy reforms (de jure cannabis legalization, de facto drug decriminalization) and perspectives on potential policy solutions, including safer supply and legalization. Transcribed interviews were coded using template analysis and interpreted through a labor process framework.

Officers opposed zero-tolerance criminalization of cannabis, and to some extent other substances, but criticized current models of cannabis legalization and expressed skepticism toward expanding licit access to other drugs. Officer accounts of increased public consumption, persistent illicit markets, and drug-related violence, combined with diminished enforcement authority under cannabis legalization led officers to anticipate similar challenges with safer supply and legalization of other substances.

This study reveals how cannabis legalization experiences shape street-level officers' perceptions of broader drug policy reforms, highlighting critical implementation gaps around equitable market access, public substance use, and drug-related violence. Addressing these challenges is essential for both securing police buy-in and achieving sustainable, equitable drug policy reforms that meet their intended public health and safety goals.