ABSTRACT
This chapter describes ethical consumerism in the context of the United States (US) and Canadian cannabis markets. A proliferating interdisciplinary literature examines ethical consumerism in agri-food, textiles, handicrafts, forest products, and mining/extraction, electronics, investment, and tourism. In the United States, cannabis is illegal at the federal level, and those engaged in the industry can be prosecuted. In Canada, medical cannabis has been federally legal since 1999. Consumers were permitted to grow a small number of plants or designate someone to grow on their behalf, creating an industry of small cannabis farms. Labor advocates argue that US and Canadian policies are inadequate for protecting workers in many industries. Cannabis workers are also exploited and abused. Pesticide misuse and overuse has drawn much attention because of the risks to workers, consumers, and the environment.
