Background and objectives: Policing practices do not reflect recent decriminalization of drug possession in Mexico. We assessed knowledge of cannabis law as part of a police education program (PEP) post-drug law reform in Tijuana.
Methods: Officers took pre-/post-PEP surveys; random subsample (n = 759) received follow-up assessments. Longitudinal logistic regression (pre-, post-, 3-months post-PEP) measured knowledge of cannabis law.
Results: PEP increased conceptual knowledge of cannabis law from baseline to post-training (AOR = 56.1, CI: 41.0-76.8) and 3 months post-PEP (AOR = 11.3, CI: 9.0-14.2).
Conclusion and scientific significance: PEPs improve police knowledge of cannabis law. Reforms should be bundled with PEPs to improve policy implementation. (Am J Addict 2018;XX:XX-XX).
© 2018 American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.