I thing legalizing marijuana will impact crime significantly, although it certainly won’t eliminate it.
It will be a serious loss of business or competition increase to the drug cartels.
I tend to agree with that line of reasoning.
For example, here in Massachusetts last week there was a horrific home invasion where two young men were murdered . . . largely, perhaps even exclusively . . . because they were involved in the low-level mary jane black market. Now, marijuana itself did not lead to this situation, but the trafficking in it did, as this particular residence was targeted because the gang-bangers knew that there were drugs and cash at the house. The people involved, on both sides, knew the rules of the game they were playing.