ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces cannabis criminology. Cannabis prohibition has shaped the criminological enterprise in North America and worldwide. Focusing on cannabis use and other related dynamics offers a means to consider criminological theories, key concepts, cannabis research, and potential policy implications for decriminalization and legalization. The chapter defines cannabis criminology and outlines five key areas of interest. These include law, society, and social control; police and policing cannabis; race, ethnicity, and criminalization; the economics of cannabis use; and cannabis use and criminal behavior.
