Marijuana and lifestyle: exploring tolerable deviance

Abstract

Recreational marijuana use has, in the past four decades, evolved from a practice that was prevalent only within certain marginalized groups, or subcultures, to one that is now broadly established throughout our culture. With this diffusion, particularly amongst the middle classes, use of the drug has become increasingly tolerated by law enforcers as well as the general public. Despite continuing prohibition, significant numbers of otherwise conventional adults persist in using marijuana on a regular basis. Based on in-depth interviews with thirty middle-class, adult users, this paper examines and updates Becker's (1953, 1955) work on becoming a marijuana user and the associated changes in users' relations to the controls designed to prevent such behaviour. Also explored here are the personal relationships with the drug. that tended to evolve from people's group-oriented experiences, marijuana's perceived practical uses, for work and for leisure, thus warranting its inclusion as a routine component of their everyday lives.