The start of recreational marijuana sales at Ohio dispensaries was associated with significant reductions in property crime and overall serious crime, with no statistically significant increase in violent crime, according to a new study published October 20 in the Journal of Criminal Justice.
Researchers from the University of South Carolina and Ohio State University examined crime patterns before and after August 6, 2024, when Ohio dispensaries began selling marijuana for recreational use. The analysis compared 92 census tracts containing dispensaries with 1,386 control tracts without dispensaries, using crime data spanning January 2023 through December 2025.
The researchers found statistically significant reductions in total Part 1 crime, a category covering offenses including murder, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft. Property crime also declined significantly in dispensary neighborhoods relative to comparison areas. One statistical model estimated approximately three fewer Part 1 crimes and 2.8 fewer property crimes per 10,000 residents per month.
Larceny accounted for much of the observed reduction in property crime, although that finding was not consistent across every statistical model. Researchers found no significant changes in overall violent crime, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary or motor vehicle theft. A supplementary analysis detected an increase in murders, but the authors cautioned against drawing conclusions from that result because incidents were relatively rare and the finding did not hold across all analyses.
The study also examined 467 census tracts bordering dispensary neighborhoods to determine whether criminal activity had shifted into surrounding areas. Researchers found no statistically significant evidence that crime had been displaced into those neighboring communities.
All dispensaries included in the study had previously operated as medical marijuana retailers before transitioning to recreational sales, allowing researchers to examine the effects of expanded retail access rather than entirely new businesses opening.
The authors identified Ohio’s security requirements for marijuana dispensaries as one possible explanation for the findings. State regulations require surveillance equipment and other security measures, which researchers suggested could discourage criminal activity in surrounding neighborhoods. Increased legitimate foot traffic and changes in neighborhood activity may also have contributed.
Researchers emphasized that the observational study could not establish precisely what caused the reductions. However, the findings challenge concerns that recreational marijuana sales necessarily increase neighborhood crime, particularly in states requiring dispensaries to maintain extensive security measures.
