{"title":"Ganja and the Laws of Men: Cannabis Decriminalization and Social (In)Justice in Jamaica","authors":"Felipe Neis Araujo","doi":"10.1177/00914509231156608","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"This article describes the harms caused by the criminalization of cannabis in Jamaica and the outcomes of the decriminalization and legalization processes that started in 2015. It argues that the current framework does not promote social justice for actors historically engaged in the cannabis trade and suggests that it should be revised and aligned with policies geared towards reparations. It focuses on the historical entanglements between Rastafarians, law enforcement, and criminal justice once the prohibition has been weaponized against these actors. I discuss the involvement of the US in the attempt to eradicate cannabis in Jamaica, the massive investment in militarization, and the state violence embodied in the war against cannabis to then unpack the issues with the process of decriminalization and legalization. It concludes by suggesting that the Cannabis Licensing Authority and the Jamaican government must develop deeper engagement with traditional farmers to design and implement policies that will allow them to enjoy the benefits of the current legal cannabis market.","PeriodicalId":35813,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Drug Problems","volume":"50 1","pages":"202 - 216"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3000,"publicationDate":"2023-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Contemporary Drug Problems","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00914509231156608","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"SUBSTANCE ABUSE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This article describes the harms caused by the criminalization of cannabis in Jamaica and the outcomes of the decriminalization and legalization processes that started in 2015. It argues that the current framework does not promote social justice for actors historically engaged in the cannabis trade and suggests that it should be revised and aligned with policies geared towards reparations. It focuses on the historical entanglements between Rastafarians, law enforcement, and criminal justice once the prohibition has been weaponized against these actors. I discuss the involvement of the US in the attempt to eradicate cannabis in Jamaica, the massive investment in militarization, and the state violence embodied in the war against cannabis to then unpack the issues with the process of decriminalization and legalization. It concludes by suggesting that the Cannabis Licensing Authority and the Jamaican government must develop deeper engagement with traditional farmers to design and implement policies that will allow them to enjoy the benefits of the current legal cannabis market.
期刊介绍：
Contemporary Drug Problems is a scholarly journal that publishes peer-reviewed social science research on alcohol and other psychoactive drugs, licit and illicit. The journal’s orientation is multidisciplinary and international; it is open to any research paper that contributes to social, cultural, historical or epidemiological knowledge and theory concerning drug use and related problems. While Contemporary Drug Problems publishes all types of social science research on alcohol and other drugs, it recognizes that innovative or challenging research can sometimes struggle to find a suitable outlet. The journal therefore particularly welcomes original studies for which publication options are limited, including historical research, qualitative studies, and policy and legal analyses. In terms of readership, Contemporary Drug Problems serves a burgeoning constituency of social researchers as well as policy makers and practitioners working in health, welfare, social services, public policy, criminal justice and law enforcement.
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