The History of Anti-Black Racism and Cannabis скачать в хорошем качестве

The History of Anti-Black Racism and Cannabis

As Black History Month comes to a close, it’s time we reflect on the history of anti-Black racism in cannabis policies, and now in the cannabis industry. Though the history of segregation seems to be behind us, systemic racism is very much alive. For one, cannabis-related arrests in the U.S. accounted for more than half of drug arrests in 2010. And of those arrests, Black cannabis users were nearly four times more likely to be arrested than white ones. Now that cannabis is entering the legal market, white men are swiftly taking over the industry. There is clearly a double standard. The anti-Black racism in the world of cannabis is still here. While today it’s Sha’Carri Richardson, in the 1940s, it was jazz and swing singer Billie Holiday. A Black woman icon and civil rights activist, Holiday took the brunt of anti-cannabis and anti-Black sentiments. She was routinely targeted by racist lawmaker Harry Anslinger, the man responsible for anti-cannabis policies and propaganda. Though she died during her fight against racial injustice and drug abuse, her legacy serves as an example of the anti-Black rhetoric that continues today. Check our video below on Billie Holiday and the history of anti-Black racism in cannabis policy!