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After years of advocacy for the drug, the New York Times concedes that legal marijuana has delivered addiction, health harms, and deeply troubling social consequences.

The New York Times editorial board has admitted that its predictions about marijuana legalisation were “wrong” and is now calling for federal taxation and stricter controls on the drug after years of championing unfettered access.

In an editorial published last Sunday titled “It’s Time for America to Admit That It Has a Marijuana Problem,” the board conceded that addiction, health consequences and daily use have surged far beyond what advocates originally predicted.

The Times originally ran a six-part series in 2014 urging US Congress to repeal the federal marijuana ban.

At the time, the board described marijuana addiction as a “relatively minor” problem, and suggested legalisation would not lead to a significant increase in its use.

“It is now clear that many of these predictions were wrong,” the editorial explained over the weekend. “Legalisation has led to much more use.”

The reversal comes as approximately 18 million Americans now use marijuana almost daily — up from six million in 2012, and less than one million in 1992. More Americans now use marijuana daily than alcohol, according to the Times’ own reporting.

Harms Exceed Predictions

The editorial cites rising rates of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome — a condition causing severe vomiting and stomach pain — which affects nearly 2.8 million people annually in the US.

Hospital admissions for paranoia and chronic psychotic disorders linked to marijuana have also increased, as well as injuries and death caused by drug-impaired driving.

The editorial identifies commercial marijuana companies — collectively known as “Big Weed” — as a driver of misleading health claims and aggressive marketing. Companies have falsely claimed their products treat cancer and Alzheimer’s, and have sold marijuana in packaging that mimics snacks marketed to children, including brands called “Trips Ahoy” and “Double Stuf Stoneo.”

By 2024, the legal marijuana industry had grown to more than US$30 billion. More than half of industry sales cater to the roughly 20 percent of customers classified as heavy users, the editorial notes.

‘Grudging Toleration’ Proposed

The Times stops short of calling for re-criminalisation of the drug. It opposes efforts to ban recreational marijuana sales, and claims that “a society that allows adults to use alcohol and tobacco cannot sensibly arrest people for marijuana use.”

Instead, the board advocates for what it calls “grudging toleration” — a framework popularised by the late drug policy scholar Mark Kleiman. If adopted, this approach would keep marijuana legal but impose stricter controls to curb its harms, similar to existing regulations on alcohol and tobacco.

The editorial proposes three measures: a federal tax on marijuana set at “dollars per joint, not cents,” to deter excessive use; restrictions on high-potency products, including an outright ban on marijuana that exceeds 60 percent THC; and federal action against dispensaries making false medical claims, including the closure of businesses found to be non-compliant.

Trump Reclassification Criticised

The Times criticised President Donald Trump’s December decision to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under federal law. The Grey Lady described Trump’s move as a windfall for marijuana companies rather than casual users, arguing his reclassification will reduce the tax burden on marijuana businesses and thereby increasing their profits.

“Marijuana companies, not casual smokers, are the biggest winners of Mr Trump’s decision,” the editorial claims.

The editorial concludes that “the loosening of marijuana policies — especially the decision to legalise pot without adequately regulating it — has led to worse outcomes than many Americans expected.”

“It is time to acknowledge reality and change course,” the board writes.

The reversal marks a significant shift for the Times, which has been among the most prominent cultural voices arguing for the legalisation of marijuana over the past decade.

The editorial’s acknowledgment of harm echoes warnings from Australian experts about the marijuana industry’s manipulation of public perception, and the documented links between chronic cannabis use and psychosis, mental illness and violence.

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