Playing the game: marijuana growing in a rural community

This study is an in depth examination of marijuana growers within a rural community context drawing on interviews designed to chronicle the life experiences of marijuana growers and their connections to the broader community. Using grounded theory analysis the study explores patterns and trends in the growing community by examining the practices enacted by growers in their daily lives. Multiple dimensions are explored highlighting divisions of labor, gender, social networking, and elements of power and class. The study aims to provide a rich and highly textured portrait of various individuals and their working crews as they operate within a legally ambiguous economy. Though the federal government continues to judge marijuana cultivation and distribution to be illegal, the marijuana industry thrives in the progressively tolerant California state environment where it is emerging as a significant source of commerce.