Pass the (Organic, Fair Trade) Pot: The Transition from Environmental Lobbying to Eco Consumerism in the Context of Recently Legalized Recreational Marijuana

This paper examines the nexus between environmental social movements and political consumerism within the context of recreational marijuana in Portland, Oregon (United States). Specifically, it describes which tools of ethical consumption (e.g., labeling, direct trade, community supported agriculture) environmentalists are employing to promote earth friendly pot, and discusses what these choices tell us about how environmental groups are transitioning from advocacy activities to political consumerism strategies. This paper draws on three months of original qualitative fieldwork, including interviews, media analysis, and ethnography, in Portland, Oregon. Oregon has a vibrant history of environmental activism of all stripes, including organics, domestic fair trade, and eco-terrorism. Portland, its largest city, is renowned for ethical consumption, particularly in the agri-food sector. In fall 2014 Oregonians voted to legalize recreational marijuana, and one year later dispensaries opened their doors. Environmentalists were among the diverse groups advocating legalization. They argued that legalization would diminish support for the illicit cannabis industry, which is known to divert rivers from their natural course, siphon scarce water resources, poison wildlife with pesticides, and clear cut trees in supposedly protected forests. Before legalization, environmentalists engaged in lobbying and educational campaigns. Given marijuana’s status as an illegal drug, advocating ethical consumption was not an option. Today, environmentalists can adopt strategies that are consumer-facing. This paper first documents how environmentalists have shifted their efforts to political consumerism. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first study of political consumption in licit marijuana in the United States. It draws on the political consumerism literature to discuss the potential reasons for selecting some activities over others. It explores what these choices say about transitions from advocacy to political consumerism, more generally. This paper contributes to the workshop by describing how environmental social movements transition to consumer-facing activities when there is no history of ethical consumerism.