Please be aware that cannabis and related laws vary. Programming in this track is designed to inform attendees about this fast-changing industry, and does not promote the use or sale of illegal drugs.

In the recent past, cannabusiness has meant 2 things: the underground cannabis economy and the business of criminalizing people for participating in it. The injustice and systemic racism present in our criminal justice system remain embedded in the collateral consequences faced by people with convictions on their record. These include lack of access to housing, healthcare, and employment. This panel will outline the racist roots of the War on Drugs and focus on the instruments of oppression that persist today, including the militarization of police, deportation, unfair sentencing, and discriminatory housing, healthcare, and employment policies. As we look to the future, we will highlight cultural, medical, and legal solutions that might allow us to heal ourselves from the War on Drugs.

Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.