In 2013, Uruguay became the first country to legalize recreational cannabis through a state-regulated, non-commercial model. Canada was the second country to do so in 2018. With many nations and states moving towards increasingly liberalized cannabis laws, it is important to understand the impacts of legalization on cannabis use and perception. In this recent paper looking at the impact of legalization on Uruguay youth, researchers found no change in the prevalence or frequency of adolescent use post-legalization, but observed an increased perception of availability.
