Dissenting Implementation of Cannabis Policies in Mexico: A Strategy of Outlaw Resistance

When reform fails, activists may resort to visible outlaw actions, risking criminalisation to either increase reform pressure (civil disobedience) or address urgent needs (everyday resistance). This study examines cannabis activism in Mexico, revealing a novel strategy of noncompliance that combines the pursuit of individual benefit with advocacy for policy reform. Through interviews and observations, we describe the characteristics of ‘dissenting implementation’ as a collective process that operationalises a policy despite formal prohibitions. Our findings highlight the motivations behind these extra-legal actions and propose a conceptual framework for understanding their characteristics. The strategy is illustrated by analysing self-regulation in the Mexican cannabis industry.