Carrier, Neil and Klantschnig, Gernot orcid.org/0000-0003-2693-8227 (2018) Quasilegality:Khat, Cannabis and Africa’s Drug Laws. Third World Quarterly. pp. 350-365. ISSN 0143-6597
Abstract
This article explores the concept of ‘quasilegality’ in relation to two of Africa’s drug crops: khat and cannabis. It argues that the concept is useful in understanding the two substances and their ambiguous relation to the statute books: khat being of varied and ever-changing legal status yet often treated with suspicion even where legal, while cannabis is illegal everywhere in Africa yet often seems de facto legal. The article argues that such quasilegality is socially significant and productive, raising the value of such crops for farmers and traders, but also allowing states to police or not police these substances as their interests and instincts dictate. It also argues that there is no clear link between the law on the statute book and the actual harm potential of these substances. Finally, it suggests that the concept has much wider use beyond these case studies of drugs in Africa in a world where global consensus on drug policy is cracking, and where many other objects of trade and activities find themselves in the blurred territory of the quasilegal.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2017 Informa UK Limited. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details |
Keywords: | Africa,Quasilegality,cannabis,crime,drug and policy,khat |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Social Sciences (York) > Social Policy and Social Work (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 12 Sep 2017 12:00 |
Last Modified: | 16 Oct 2024 13:59 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2017.1368383 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/01436597.2017.1368383 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:121129 |
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