Waiting to Inhale: Cannabis Legalization and the Fight for Racial Justice

Waiting to Inhale examines the roots of a racial reckoning through the lens of cannabis and from its inception, the War on Drugs disproportionately targeted Black, Brown, and Indigenous Americans already marginalized by a biased system. Today, while predominantly white Americans profit from the legalization and booming cannabis industry, those less fortunate continue to suffer the enduring effects of systemic racism in policing and failed drug policies that sparked the original crisis. Akwasi Owusu-Bempah and Tahira Rehmatullah passionately advocate for addressing this profound injustice.

In Waiting to Inhale, they shed light on the individuals and communities most impacted by the War on Drugs—those who have endured disproportionate harm, societal and governmental opposition, and the resilience of activists and entrepreneurs pushing for change. With attitudes toward cannabis evolving, Owusu-Bempah and Rehmatullah argue for expunging cannabis convictions and ensuring equitable representation in the legal cannabis market for Black and other marginalized groups.

This book serves as a poignant critique of one of America's most significant social and political failures, while also offering a hopeful vision for redemption. It emphasizes the possibility of rebuilding communities and overturning racist policies to pave the way for a new era of justice.