ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we consider cannabis and race, ethnicity, and criminalization. Theoretical starting points include biological and psychological positivism, critical race theory, and restorative justice. Key concepts explored in this chapter involve the racial disparities in justice system contacts, the costs of cannabis prohibition, and the potential for reconciliation. Research has uncovered new ways to understand the racial dynamics of prohibition. Cannabis liberalization may represent an opportunity to confront historical racism and ethnic hate. One question is how cannabis liberalization can inform other efforts designed to reinvest resources in historically overpoliced and underserved communities.
