IAQ Implications of Cannabis Legalization

Laws about the cultivation, use, and distribution of marijuana are a global patchwork of legalization, decriminalization, allowed medical use, and outright prohibition. In the U.S., marijuana is currently legal in eight states and is decriminalized and/or allowed for medical use in most of the rest of the country. Enforcement of state and federal laws are also quite variable in different jurisdictions. In Canada, cannabis will likely be legalized federally later this year. Although much of the discussion on marijuana laws has focused on issues such as harm reduction, enforcement, taxation, etc.,1 the implications for both private and public indoor air quality have largely been absent from the conversation.