Becoming a marijuana dealer

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to outline the personal and social factors which contribute to a person becoming a marijuana dealer. Methods: The methods used in this study were: (1) to develop a hypothesis through the existing literature; (2) to use analytic introduction to develop the hypothesis from the information that was obtained from the interviews with thirty marijuana users and thirty marijuana dealers. This information was obtained from the sample population by a two-fold method. First, the respondent was interviewed by means of an interview schedule which elicited answers. Then the respondent was observed in discussion with other respondents. Findings: The process of becoming a marijuana dealer as observed in this study can be divided into a two-fold process: (1) the development of external relationships which allow entrance into the marijuana using groups, and (2) the rationalizing of the internal norms and goals of the larger society to those of a marijuana dealer. The degree the user is able to normalize the controls seems to determine the degree of involvement that the user will have with marijuana dealing. The would-be dealer must meet people who have an access to marijuana in amounts that are sufficient for the user to have in excess past his own needs. The entrance to marijuana using groups and access to marijuana are necessary, but not sufficient to become a dealer. For a user to become a dealer, he must neutralize the norms of the larger society and replace them with the norms of marijuana dealers.