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dc.contributor.authorGhiabi, M
dc.contributor.authorMaarefvand, M
dc.contributor.authorBahari, H
dc.contributor.authorAlavi, Z
dc.date.accessioned2020-09-21T14:08:03Z
dc.date.issued2018-04-09
dc.description.abstractIran is currently discussing cannabis and opium regulations, which could bring a legalisation of drug consumption through a state supervised system. The article engages with the question of cannabis by looking at the legal interpretation of religious authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The choice of Iran is justified for several reasons: firstly, Iran has a long history of drug use and cannabis has been part of the country’s intoxicant traditions since times immemorial; secondly, the Iranian state is unique in that it combines religious exegesis with political machination through official channels; finally, among all Middle East and Islamic countries, Iran is at the avant-garde in experimenting in the field of drugs policy which makes an excellent case for the study of cannabis regulation. The article is the result of a direct engagement with Iran’s leading Shi’a authorities, the maraje’-e taqlid, ‘source of emulation’. The authors redacted a list of eight questions (estefta’at) about the status of cannabis in Iranian society. It questioned cannabis’ legality in Islam, its potential medical use, the feasibility of domestic production and other relevant aspects of its social-religious life. Based on the responses, the authors analysed the difference in opinions among the religious scholars and speculate on the possibility of policy reform. Given the dearth of scholarly work about illicit drugs in the Islamic world, about which many readers might not be familiar, the article opens with an overview of the place of cannabis in the history of Islamic societies. It discusses terminological ambiguities, references in religious texts and traditions, and the general interpretations within Muslim religious schools of thought. Then, it discusses the status of cannabis in contemporary Iran before tackling the responses provided by the religious scholars. Eventually, the paper puts forward reflections about the potential implications for future policy developments on cannabis.en_GB
dc.description.sponsorshipWellcome Trusten_GB
dc.identifier.citationVol. 56, pp. 121 - 127en_GB
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.03.009
dc.identifier.grantnumberWT101988MAen_GB
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10871/122935
dc.language.isoenen_GB
dc.publisherElsevieren_GB
dc.rights© 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article Under a Creative Commons license - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/en_GB
dc.subjectHistory of cannabisen_GB
dc.subjectIslamic lawen_GB
dc.subjectMiddle easten_GB
dc.subjectIranen_GB
dc.subjectReligionen_GB
dc.subjectCannabisen_GB
dc.subjectLegalisationen_GB
dc.subjectRegulationen_GB
dc.titleIslam and cannabis: Legalisation and religious debate in Iranen_GB
dc.typeArticleen_GB
dc.date.available2020-09-21T14:08:03Z
dc.identifier.issn0955-3959
dc.descriptionThis is the final version. Available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record. en_GB
dc.identifier.journalInternational Journal of Drug Policyen_GB
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/en_GB
dcterms.dateAccepted2018-03-13
rioxxterms.versionVoRen_GB
rioxxterms.licenseref.startdate2018-03-13
rioxxterms.typeJournal Article/Reviewen_GB
refterms.dateFCD2020-09-21T14:05:05Z
refterms.versionFCDVoR
refterms.dateFOA2020-09-21T14:08:08Z
refterms.panelDen_GB


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© 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article Under a Creative Commons license - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Except where otherwise noted, this item's licence is described as © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article Under a Creative Commons license - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/