[Sarah]

I've noticed that black people in my predominantly black neighborhood tend to be very open about the use of marijuana. They will often sit outside in front of their door or out on the apartment steps and smoke blunts or joints. This seems to be socially acceptable, even to the point of smoking in front of young children. Now I don't have a problem with pot smoking (I smoke myself), and I find that pot-smokers tend to be mellower and more friendly (I'd take pot-smoking neighbors over drunk neighbors any day), but I'm wondering what the view of pot is among black communities. It seems to be so casual and open (whereas in white communities, you really have to hide it). What do black people feel about the fact that so many of their own people are going to prison for such a widespread activity?

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Name : Sarah, Gender : F, Age : 22, City : Tampa, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : Artist, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[Lisa]

Where I'm from, it appears that pot smoking is not a particularly well-hidden habit among white people at all. During college and after, I have known a host of white people who openly, publicly embody the 'stoner' image complete with bong on the coffee table and joint in the purse. My white parents smoked pot in front of me, too. And they are mainstream, non-hippy people. Perhaps the reason black people are 'going to prison for such widespread activity (if that really is why they're going to prison)' lies in the law enforcement and judicial system (racial biases and whatnot), since, in my observations, I have not noticed any discrepancy of the type you're suggesting.

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Name : Lisa, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 24, City : los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Jennifer R.]

First, I'd like to posit that black people who are incarcerated on drug charges are not going because they were smoking pot. That is, unless they're selling large quantities, or growing, which is the same reason whites are incarcerated with regard to weed. As far as usage, most blacks who smoke blunts, whether out on the stoop or not, are part of the rap/hip-hop subculture. These folks tend to have kind of a low-grade defiance underpinning whatever they choose to do. I guess the attitude might be, "Well, I have to fear the law anyway, and I just ain't gonna let 'em scare me all the time." Kind of a 'bring it on' type thing. Resignation, maybe.

In terms of smoking in front of young children, in my ganja days, I noticed that white people also didn't bother to hide the fact that they were smoking in front of them. They just did it in the house, or in a crowd of people large enough that it would be more trouble than it was worth for any police presence to figure out where 'that smell' was coming from. _____________________

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Name : Jennifer R., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Humanist, Age : 29, City : Saint Paul, State : MN Country : United States, Occupation : Writer/Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

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