Cadigan Publishes in Social Problems on Racialized Morality in Seattle’s Legal Cannabis Market
Posted: 2026-09-26 12:02:34 (CSDE Research)
CSDE External Affiliate Michele Cadigan (Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University) recently published a research article in Social Problems titled, “(De)stigmatizing Markets and Racialized Morality: The Case of Seattle’s Emerging Recreational Cannabis Market.” While prior research on stigmatized markets often treats conceptions of morality as race-neutral, Dr. Cadigan’s study examines how moral narratives are frequently racialized in ways that justify the subjugation of minoritized racial groups. Drawing on 60 semi-structured interviews with retail store owners, managers, and staff across 26 licensed cannabis retail locations, along with 107 hours of ethnographic observation in three of these stores, Cadigan investigates how market actors in Seattle’s legal cannabis retail industry grapple with the racialized stigma tied to cannabis criminalization, and what consequences this has for racial inequality in the new market. Congrats Michele!