The Politics of Marijuana
Monday | 3 p.m.
Cannabis sativa, commonly known as Marijuana, is a plant with a well-established history of human use for thousands of years. Used to treat or alleviate a variety of health conditions, marijuana’s public perception and acceptance has evolved over the past few decades in the United States. As a multibillion-dollar business and active area of scientific research, marijuana’s clinical safety and addiction potential are debated and undeniably reflected in U.S. politics. This course will explore the legalization of marijuana, how the term marijuana is rooted in racism (versus opioids), its impact on the incarceration of people of color, the stigma associated with its use, and how the media, scientific and religious communities, political and judicial systems influence our thoughts about marijuana. While several states and the District of Columbia have decriminalized marijuana for medicinal uses, only nine permit its recreational use. Interestingly, marijuana remains illegal on a federal level, with the current administration announcing its intent of reversing Obama’s position of non-enforcement.