Examining the Potential Impact of Recreational Cannabis Legalization on Individuals Receiving Treatment for Substance Use Disorder: An Interrupted Time Series Study in Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Abstract Objective: The present research evaluated the impact of legalizing recreational cannabis among individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) who may already use cannabis at high rates. Method: Using an interrupted time series study design, we evaluated the potential impact of legalizing recreational cannabis among individuals seeking treatment for SUD within a hospital-based treatment setting in Guelph, Ontario. We examined 2,925 individuals who entered an inpatient SUD treatment program between April 2017 and December 2021. We performed segmented regression analyses