Weed Central: Cannabis Specialists and Polydrug Vendors in Mexico City

Abstract

Findings discussed in this article addressed a gap in the literature on cannabis markets in Mexico. This article primarily draws on interviews with ( N = 64) street drug dealers including 24 incarcerated ones, and ethnographic work in 3 impoverished neighborhoods in Mexico City. We find that cannabis sellers enter the profession through early biographical experiences that are reinforced throughout adolescence. Dealing in the context of this cannabis culture is not only acceptable in the present but also viewed as inherently part of their future. Further analysis reveals a typology of dealers that tends to be marked by the transition from cannabis specialists to polydrug vendors. As dealers progress to more profitable sales of hard drugs, they tend to lose the trust and support of neighborhood residents who view their suppliers, clients, and associates as dangerous. We conclude with policy interventions uniquely derived from ethnographic research that are intended to minimize the risk of escalating to more serious drug distribution while preserving community stability and cohesion.