Cannabis growers as gardeners: results from a survey among Italian and British small-scale growers

Davide Fortin (), Vincent Di Beo (), Michala Kowalski, Eric Sevigny, Jodie Grigg, Camelia Protopopescu and Gary Potter
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Davide Fortin: LEM - Lille économie management - UMR 9221 - UA - Université d'Artois - UCL - Université catholique de Lille - ULCO - Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale - Université de Lille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Vincent Di Beo: AMU ECO - Aix-Marseille Université - Faculté d'économie et de gestion - AMU - Aix Marseille Université, SESSTIM - U1252 INSERM - Aix Marseille Univ - UMR 259 IRD - Sciences Economiques et Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - INSERM - Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, ISSPAM - Institut des sciences de la santé publique [Marseille]
Michala Kowalski: UNSW - University of New South Wales [Sydney]
Eric Sevigny: Georgia State University - USG - University System of Georgia
Jodie Grigg: Curtin University
Camelia Protopopescu: LEM - Lille économie management - UMR 9221 - UA - Université d'Artois - UCL - Université catholique de Lille - ULCO - Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale - Université de Lille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Gary Potter: Lancaster University

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Abstract: Background The horticultural nature of growing cannabis is often overlooked in the study of cannabis production, and subsequent policies. Little is known about whether growers' horticultural expertise influences cannabis cultivation methods, the growing of other psychoactive plants, substance use behaviors, or interactions with the criminal justice system. The trajectory of cultivation, in terms of whether cannabis is a gateway to more general gardening, or vice versa, is also unexplored. Studying individuals who combine cannabis cultivation with other gardening activities is valuable because it provides insights into the motivations and practices of cannabis growers as illegal drug market participants. Methods Data from 1302 small-scale cannabis growers in Italy and the UK was collected through an online survey from 2020 to 2021. We ran two regressions to compare (1) those who only grow cannabis with those who also grow other plants and; (2) those who started growing cannabis and then grew other plants and vice versa. Results Most people in our sample grew cannabis and other plants (General Gardeners; 82 %). In comparison with the Only-cannabis group (OCG), General Gardeners (GG) tended to be older, more educated, and more likely to be in a relationship. GG grew more cannabis crops outdoors, and the purposes for growing were more related to ecological or medical reasons rather than selling cannabis. The OCG group had higher odds of using stimulant drugs and meeting cannabis use dependence criteria compared to GG. Among GG, the majority (71 %) started growing other plants and later moved to cannabis. Conclusion Gardening other plants is common among cannabis growers and precedes cultivating cannabis far more than the reverse pathway. As general gardeners appear focused on cannabis alone, concerns about spillover to growing other psychoactive plants or fungi may be overstated. Given the lower expected harms associated with general gardening, it could serve as a proxy for reduced supply involvement in legal assessments.

Keywords: Cannabis cultivation; Marijuan; Drug policy; Horticulture; Cannabis growers; Cannabis use dependence; Online survey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-10
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Published in International Journal of Drug Policy, 2025, 144 (3), pp.104959. ⟨10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104959⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05365009

DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104959

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