Department of Sociology and Human Geography, University of Oslo, Post Box 1096, 0317 Oslo, Norway.
Int J Drug Policy. 2015 Mar;26(3):290-5. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2014.08.011. Epub 2014 Aug 30.
Cannabis markets are often described as less violent than other drug markets. Domestic cannabis cultivation markets seem to be especially non-violent. However, few studies have investigated why this might be.
Two and half years of ethnographic fieldwork among indoor cannabis growers and interviews and conversations with 52 growers in Norway.
This study identified four barriers and a set of values that prevent violence among growers. (1) Violence attracts increased attention from police and enemies, which inhibits 'business as usual' and reduces profits. (2) Careful attention to profits makes growers calculate and prepare for financial losses. (3) The prospect of covering debt by producing more cannabis makes it possible to choose non-violent sanctions. (4) Tight social ties and friendships prevent violence when conflicts erupt. However, the cannabis culture of the actors and the transactions stands out as the main reason why these four barriers are more important in cannabis markets than in other drug markets.
This paper discusses how policymakers can benefit from the market changes that follow 'import substitution' to construct policies that prevent violence and facilitate peaceful drug markets and drug cultures.
大麻市场通常被描述为比其他毒品市场暴力程度更低。国内大麻种植市场似乎尤其非暴力。然而，很少有研究调查为什么会这样。
在挪威，我们进行了为期两年半的室内大麻种植者的民族志实地调查，并对 52 名种植者进行了访谈和对话。
本研究确定了阻止大麻种植者之间暴力行为的四个障碍和一套价值观。（1）暴力会引起警方和敌人更多的关注，这会阻碍“正常营业”并减少利润。（2）对利润的谨慎关注使种植者计算并准备应对财务损失。（3）通过生产更多大麻来偿还债务的前景使得可以选择非暴力制裁。（4）当冲突爆发时，紧密的社会关系和友谊可以防止暴力。然而，大麻市场的这些障碍比其他毒品市场更为重要，原因在于大麻交易中的参与者的文化。
本文讨论了政策制定者如何从“进口替代”所带来的市场变化中受益，以制定预防暴力行为并促进和平毒品市场和毒品文化的政策。
