Where is the problem? Militant diagnoses favor legalization of cannabis
This article titled Where’s the problem? Advocacy diagnostics in favour of cannabis legalization explores a diversity of advocacy discourses in favour of cannabis legalization in Canada. Problem definition is a crucial stage of social debates regarding public policy reforms. This article presents distinct diagnostic frames constructed by Canadian organizations supporting cannabis legalization. We selected a sample of twelve advocacy groups agreeing on the necessity to legalize cannabis, but holding different positions in this regard. We used frame analysis to examine an archive of documents produced by each selected group, and held semi-structured interviews with organisation representatives between October 2015 and March 2016. These civil society actors have different ways of defining the problem with the current cannabis regime, and are also critical of some legalization options. We identified four main diagnostic frames within the actors’ discourses: 1) diagnostics based on efficiency, 2) critical diagnostics, 3) diagnostics of injustice, and 4) political diagnostics. Studying those different perspectives reveals the complexity that characterizes the debate on cannabis legalization.