“Teaching the public how cannabis models driven by profit create the same injustices as prohibition”
A news study in Cannabis, the publication of the Research Society on Marijuana, sought to examine how “Large corporations with histories of exploitation are steering cannabis policy to maximize profits.”
Written in part by Shaleen Title, a former member of the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission who directs the Parabola Center for Law and Policy, the paper considers how racist stigmas have historically shaped marijuana policy and how “The legalization of cannabis for adult use represents an opportunity to end harmful policies and repair some of the damage caused by the War on Drugs.”
To get answers, “Parabola Center created a media campaign to educate the public about these issues and promote cannabis policies that benefit regular people. We conducted an experiment in the context of an online survey to determine whether six videos from the campaign would resonate with U.S. adults and influence beliefs about cannabis policy.”
“The experts featured in these videos are leaders of the organizations Drug Policy Alliance (New York, U.S.A.); Marijuana Justice (Virginia, U.S.A.); Simply Pure Dispensary (Colorado, U.S.A.); Umzimvubu Farmers Support Network (South Africa); International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research, and Service (ICEERS; Catalonia, Spain); and Transform Drug Policy Foundation (United Kingdom).”
In September 2023, Parabola “conducted an online survey of 404 U.S. adults. Participants were randomized to view six Parabola Campaign videos featuring cannabis policy experts before or after responding to survey questions.”
Among the conclusions: “Public education can be a powerful tool to promote equity-focused cannabis policy, by raising awareness of corporate influence, promoting community-centered regulatory models, and building support for an equitable approach to federal legalization.”
You can read the whole study here.
