Cannabis is not a genie in a bottle — it was never in the bottle to begin with. The question now is how we respond to the reality we’ve created (“Pot has risks. Let’s talk about them,” Editorial, March 24).

Legalization has followed a predictable arc: rapid commercialization, normalization of use, and a growing gap between public perception and what the science actually shows. In Massachusetts, cannabis-related disorders among youth presenting to psychiatric emergency rooms have increased following commercialization. At the same time, many young people now view cannabis as low-risk.

This pattern is not new. During Prohibition, alcohol markets shifted toward higher-potency products, particularly spirits, because they were easier and more profitable to produce and transport illegally. That shift persisted after repeal, and illegal markets continued alongside legal ones. Cannabis is now following a similar trajectory: Its prohibition incentivized higher-potency products, to which legalization has expanded access.