Youth gangs and drugs: the case of marijuana

Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse
Kathleen MacKenzieKaren Joe-Laidler

Abstract

While the association between drug sales and violence has been a central focus of gang research since the 1980s, the issue of drug use within gangs has been given much less attention. This is especially true in the case of marijuana. This lack of interest is surprising given the extent to which gang members use marijuana. Other than alcohol, marijuana is the most widely used substance in gang life. In examining the culture and role of marijuana in the lives of gang members, we highlight the integration and normalization of recreational drug use within their day-to-day activities and cultural practices. In doing so, we emphasize the similarity of the role of marijuana in gangs to its role in other youth groups. Data for this paper are drawn from the results of an on-going qualitative study of street gangs in the San Francisco Bay Area, in which 383 male gang members from three different ethnic groupings were interviewed.

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Citations

Jun 1, 2007·Substance Abuse : Official Publication of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse·Michelle WidlitzGregory Bunt
Dec 10, 2008·Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse·Molly MoloneyKristin Evans
Jan 1, 2012·Journal of Youth Studies·Bill Sanders
Jan 1, 2012·Drugs : Education, Prevention, and Policy·Karen Joe-Laidler, Geoffrey P Hunt
Dec 1, 2010·Journal of Youth Studies·Geoffrey HuntKathleen McKenzie
Apr 6, 2012·Journal of Transcultural Nursing : Official Journal of the Transcultural Nursing Society·Edith J Morris
Jan 1, 2011·Journal of Drug Education·Michael K Ostrowsky
Jul 2, 2010·The Journal of School Health·Monica H SwahnVolkan Topalli
Sep 13, 2018·International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology·Paul E BellairJames Sutton
Nov 23, 2013·Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing : Official Publication of the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses, Inc·Beth R HoffmanBill Sanders
Jul 9, 2011·Revista latino-americana de enfermagem·Francisco Rafael Guzmán-FacundoSantiaga Enriqueta Esparza-Almanza
Aug 29, 2019·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Anees Bahji, Callum Stephenson
Jan 14, 2011·Sociology of Health & Illness·Margaretha Järvinen, Signe Ravn

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