087 - Special Session. Rethinking Cannabis Policy Reform Movements

Session Submission Type: Invited Session

Description

The purpose of this session is to provide a regional focus on cannabis policy reform experiences in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia, with a particular focus on the Seattle, Portland and Vancouver metropolitan areas. While cannabis legalization activists in Washington celebrated their victory in 2012, their Canadian counterparts have struggled in the face of a Federal crackdown on cannabis possession and cultivation. Session participants have been invited from both the academic and activist communities who can shed light on the relative successes and failures of efforts to end cannabis prohibition on both sides of the U.S./Canadian border. These presentations will highlight how cannabis reform social movements navigate rapidly changing political and cultural landscapes. Presentations will draw attention to strategies employed by activist groups to build coalitions, mobilize resources and effectively frame the cannabis legalization debate.

Sub Unit

• Special Sessions

Session Organizer

• Joshua S. Meisel, Humboldt State University

Presider

• Joshua S. Meisel, Humboldt State University

Panelists

• Philippe Lucas, Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia

• Amanda Reiman, Drug Policy Alliance

• Mark Cooke, ACLU of Washington

• Craig Reinarman, University of California-Santa Cruz