The formal laws and informal cultures surrounding cannabis differ around the world, which calls for a sociology of marijuana. Even within the United States, states have different laws, with all states having varying degrees of regulation. For these reasons, marijuana is a common topic of public discussion. Therefore, it is not surprising that cannabis is a hot political topic among politicians and members of the media. As we all know, when topics become popular in the public, the topic also becomes popular among sociologists, partly because its relevance in popular discourse is what transforms it into a social problem.
For that reason we have compiled a list of some of our favorite open-access sociology articles about the topic of cannabis to help with an introduction to the sociology of marijuana.
Sociology of Marijuana from Sociological Inquiry
Sociological Inquiry is the official journal of Alpha Kappa Delta – International Honors Society of Sociology, an official member of the Association of College Honors Societies. As a journal published by Wiley, they offer open access to several of their articles from each issue. Here are some of Sociological Inquiry‘s most recent articles related to the sociology of marijuana.
“For Medicinal Purposes: Whose Advice Exerts Authority on Medical Marijuana?”
This is an article published by Sociological Inquiry where the authors, Luis Antonio Vila-Henninger and Lars Thorup Larsen, ask the question, “In the context of direct democracy, what forms of expert authority—if any—does a historically privileged subset of citizens recognize when reasoning about medical marijuana?” It is a fascinating question and a great article to include in your literature review about medical marijuana or cannabis policy.
Read “For Medicinal Purposes: Whose Advice Exerts Authority on Medical Marijuana?”
“Cannabis Legalization and its Effects on Organized Crime: Lessons and Research Recommendations from Canada”
Another sociology of marijuana article from Sociological Inquiry, authored by Martin Bouchard, Naomi Zakimi and Benoît Gomis, explores how we can adequately measure the impact of cannabis legalization on organized crime. The effects of legalization on the illegal marijuana market is a popular topic of conversation among scholars and the public, so this is important work. In their abstract the authors note, “[these] indicators could be particularly useful for policymakers and researchers in countries that have yet to regulate cannabis to allow for pre- and post-legalization comparisons.”
“Recreational Cannabis and Recriminalization in the ‘Emerald Triangle'”
In this article from Sociological Inquiry the author, Philip R. Kavanaugh, discusses the impact of the legalization of recreational cannabis. Kavanaugh highlights “how recreational legalization has invited opportunities for ‘soft’ criminalization, while further legitimating the spectacle of police intervention into the illicit cannabis market.” Once again we see an article about the impacts of a legal market on the illegal market. These last two articles from Sociological Inquiry would fit well in a literature review together.
Read “Recreational Cannabis and Recriminalization in the ‘Emerald Triangle'”
Cannabis Policy from Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World
“Visualizing the Evolution of Discourse in Cannabis Ballot Initiatives”
Here we have an article from Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World. Once again we have an article related to cannabis policy. Authored by Burrel Vann, Jr., the article presents a visualization of “discursive shifts in statewide ballot initiatives devoted to legalizing cannabis for recreational use between 2012 and 2022.” In other words, the research explores language around cannabis as it has been distributed in ballot measures over time. This would be a really helpful article for setting up a literature review on the social construction of marijuana.
Read “Visualizing the Evolution of Discourse in Cannabis Ballot Initiatives”
Sage Open Articles on the Topic of Marijuana or Cannabis
Sage Open is an open access social science journal. That means not all of these articles are necessarily written by sociologists. But, they are all sociologically interesting enough that you may want to include them in your sociology of marijuana project.
Public Perception and Attitudes Toward Adolescent Marijuana Use: Results of a Statewide Survey
This article from Sage Open examines “patterns in public perceptions and attitudes toward marijuana use among adolescents” using computer-assisted telephone interviewing. A state-wide sample of adults in Michigan in the United States provides “insight into how the general public perceives marijuana use and marijuana-related problems among adolescents.” This is a particularly informative study for anyone pursuing a project related to social perceptions of marijuana.
“From Forbidden Fruit to the Goose That Lays Golden Eggs: Marijuana Tourism in Colorado”
This is the first of two open access articles on the topic of marijuana tourism in Colorado. Applied Worldwide is based out of Colorado and we actually do some consulting in the tourism industry in the state. So these articles are of particular interest to us. “From Forbidden Fruit to the Goose That Lays Golden Eggs” is an article from authors Soo K. Kang, Joseph O’Leary, and Jeffrey Miller. In their work, they discuss the “business opportunities as well as legal and operational challenges for the hospitality and tourism industry,” amidst the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado.
Read “From Forbidden Fruit to the Goose That Lays Golden Eggs: Marijuana Tourism in Colorado”
“Place Attachment, Image, and Support for Marijuana Tourism in Colorado”
Our second Sage Open article about marijuana tourism in Colorado is also another article from Professor of Hospitality Management, Soo K. Kang. In this article Kang shares “the purpose of the study is to examine the local residents’ image, attachment, and support of marijuana tourism as a result of the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado.” When researching marijuana tourism from a sociological perspective it is important to consider the perceptions of local residents, and this study is a great place to start.
Read “Place Attachment, Image, and Support for Marijuana Tourism in Colorado”
“Badges and Bongs: Police Officers’ Attitudes Toward Drugs”
This final article from Sage Open on the topic of marijuana made its way on our list because it has a catchy title and it is open access. The authors study police attitudes toward drugs in this survey research. They come up with some interesting findings, so once again this may be a great article for your sociology of marijuana project, especially if related to law enforcement.
Read “Badges and Bongs: Police Officers’ Attitudes Toward Drugs”
Final Thoughts on the Sociology of Marijuana
As we mentioned earlier there is and will continue to be a demand for sociological research related to cannabis. Cannabis policies are changing, the culture around marijuana is changing, and people’s attitudes toward all of it are changing. This dynamic reality leaves many unknowns, requiring more sociological research on the topic.
As you start to dip your toes into the sociology of marijuana, whether you are comprising a literature review for your own research or just generally interested, we hope this list of articles we compiled has been useful!
