Historical Reparation, a Necessary Utopia
"The abyss that separates wealth from poverty is the same that discriminates skin color. Structurally, Brazil lacks awareness and social equity," says Maria in her new column
By Maria Ribeiro da Luz*
Our current scenario does not seem very encouraging, amidst political, social, environmental, and economic crises, compounded by the immeasurable mourning caused by the pandemic of our misgovernment. Perhaps it is from the bottom of this well, surrounded by a lack of hope, that we will be compelled to transform flashes of justice into reality.
The abyss that separates wealth from poverty is the same that discriminates skin color. Structurally, Brazil lacks awareness and social equity. This concept refers to the social and political norms of a specific culture, and it is an essential tool to provide excluded communities with the rights and opportunities they are due, as equal members of society.
The cannabis market, still in its foundational phase in Brazil, finds strength in small daily advances - such as the unanimous approval of the PL93/2021 in the Municipal Chamber of Niterói (RJ), which provides for the free distribution of cannabinoids to patients with prescriptions - as we continue to build an industry that historically carries the burden of having a particular social responsibility. For almost a century, the prohibition of marijuana has been a pretext for deliberate racial discrimination, police repression, and white supremacy.
The prohibition originated in the 1930s as a strategy to discriminate against Black and Latino people, leading to imprisonment and incarceration. Harry Anslinger, the architect of America's anti-cannabis campaign, instilled fear in the minds of millions of white people by conjuring visions of miscegenation, violent crimes, and insanity exacerbated by cannabis use. Even today, the costly and ineffective War on Drugs generates not only violent deaths but also the incarceration of millions of individuals, primarily poor and Black. Recently, the Global Drug Policy Index ranked Brazil as having the worst drug policy in the world, and this leadership was achieved at the cost of much repression and public money.
It would be unjust to regulate marijuana and expect people of all races to have equal access to the opportunities offered by this new industry. Black individuals suffer much more from prohibition, violent and targeted policing, being a large majority of the incarcerated population. And at this moment of building for future regulation, we can take advantage of our setback, adapting the industry, still in its early stages, to fairer social policies, incorporating at this embryonic phase the important issue of historical reparation.
The nine years since Colorado and Washington legalized marijuana for adult use have not been enough to overcome the inequalities of the past. We can already pay attention to inclusive strategies planned by our northern neighbors for the fastest-growing industry in the U.S., generating $18.3 billion annually and currently supporting 321,000 jobs - but it has not been effective in distributing opportunities equally among Americans.
The very dissemination of information and consequent reduction of stigma has already greatly contributed to improving society's understanding of the plant, countering decades of anti-cannabis propaganda. Encouraging scientific research highlights the benefits of cannabis for patients and health professionals, informing and supporting the therapeutic potential of the plant with scientific data, thus inspiring confidence and safety for the population.
In a context of regulation and legalization, individuals previously incarcerated or convicted for cannabis-related offenses should have their records completely expunged from the criminal justice system. Without automatic expungement, thousands of people will continue to suffer the consequences of prohibition, even after legalization.
When regulating the cannabis industry, the government must be proactive regarding the budget allocated for social equity, redirecting taxes to marginalized communities or those most affected by prohibition. Returning to the U.S., considering the movement of $18.3 billion in cannabis products in 2020, and applying a conservative average estimate of 10% in taxes, it means that states collected nearly $2 billion in tax revenue from cannabis last year. This revenue offers an opportunity to reinvest in communities and support their growth.
We must consider that with the legalization of cannabis, a large part of the budget allocated for the war on drugs could be avoided. A recent study from Boise State University estimated that the 608,000 arrests made for marijuana possession in the U.S. in 2018 cost between $600 million and $3 billion. Instead, governments should use the money for public health programs, economic development, and educational programs - focusing on communities historically harmed by excessive policing and the war on drugs.
And last but not least, the day when the ideal scenario truly comes to pass, and gardening ceases to be a crime, every individual who dedicated themselves to this cause will feel profoundly victorious. Home cultivation is linked to compassionate care, respect for nature, and the legacy market. The mistaken assumption that home cultivation supports the illicit market is completely contrary to reality; after all, crime only exists because of prohibition.
The social abyss in which Brazil finds itself seems to only grow and consequently highlights even more the racist and prohibitionist society we live in. The systems of discrimination embedded in almost a century of prohibition will not be erased by hope or our cannabis dreams. Their dismantling requires much engagement and inclusive and proactive measures from state and municipal policymakers. We need to talk about cannabis, come out of the closet, break this taboo. We need to understand that defending cannabis is to have empathy and fight for human rights. Around the world, an industry is emerging around this plant, while in Brazil, it is still a utopia.
About the author:
Maria Ribeiro da Luz is the founder of Anandamidia, a company specialized in various media for cannabis, operating between Brazil and Canada. Maria is immersed in the cannabis universe in Canada, and in her columns, she addresses science, history, and innovations in the North American market, aiming to strengthen the cause in Brazil.
The opinions expressed in this article are personal and the responsibility of their authors.