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Paper Presentation

Social Welfare Policy and Policy Practice

Session: Cannabis and Consequences: Mapping the Social Terrain of Legalization

Beyond Intent: Examining race in written recreational marijuana policies

This proposal explores structural barriers in marijuana dispensary licensing policies across three states that limit access to ownership for racial minoritized communities. Using Critical Race Theory, a qualitative content analysis revealed colorblind policy approaches, centralized power structures, and systemic barriers that may exclude racialized people(s) from legal cannabis business ownership.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, attendees should be able to:
  1. Upon completion, participants will be able to describe legal recreational marijuana policy in three large Western states in the United States and the impact these policies have on racialized people(s).
  2. Attendees will gain insight into the structural barriers that exclude racialized people(s) from legal cannabis ownership
  3. Attendees will learn strategies to apply the study’s findings to develop equity-conscious approaches for teaching policy analysis and advocacy in social work education