Don’t make a hash of it! A thematic review of the literature relating to outcomes of cannabis regulatory change

Globally cannabis regulations are rapidly changing. In recent years social and political pressure, not science, has driven this change. Experience from jurisdictions that have implemented regulatory change, although relatively new, should be used to inform future policy development for other jurisdictions, assisting in addressing the wicked problem present. This review aimed elicit underlying themes a broad range of literature exploring effects change relating cannabis. To achieve meta-narrative theoretical approach using inductive constant comparative analysis was synthesize data until thematic saturation reached. Following systematic search, 92 papers were analyzed before complete. Five super-ordinate emerged observed societal health following legislative change: Normalization; Economics; Gatekeeping; Community Health. These themes, empirically derived through formal qualitative approach, considered regarding cultural contexts, providing an understanding how regulation is changing landscape. Consideration during research may provide focus point discussion legislation policy, only cannabis, but also broad-ranging areas such as welfare, education health.