Racial Disparity Exacerbated by Texas Cannabis Laws: Student Guidebook Solution

Abstract

Illegal cannabis, or marijuana, use has had a deep and negative impact across racial groups in Texas. It is seen through the discriminatory enforcement of drug laws across minority communities, which produce a disproportionate number of cannabis-related arrests and incarceration rates. This disparity is caused and fueled by misinformation. Marijuana has been represented by false narratives that stereotype it as highly addictive, violent, and mostly present in low-income minority areas. Yet, marijuana has a lower mortality risk than drugs like alcohol and tobacco, and the usage rates between whites and non-whites are similar. The purpose of my research is to shed light on the discrimination minorities are held to when it comes to marijuana possession, clear the false narratives around cannabis use, and give the reader the right information to make their own decisions around this subject. I gathered the information for this project through interviews with local advocates and criminal law attorneys, research of academic articles, and conversations with advocate organizations. As a result of my research, I realized Texas State University students are likely to be affected by this issue as more than half of the student population is categorized as a minority. The development of a guidebook would help to clarify general mistruths about cannabis, highlight its relation to racial discrimination, and inform students about essential information to know when faced with this issue. Therefore, I used my minors in sociology, business administration, and criminal justice to create a guidebook that would achieve this in hopes of empowering students with the right information.

Keywords: Racial discrimination, racial disparity, cannabis, marijuana.