Por que meu beck te incomoda tanto?: cartas de resistência ao racismo estrutural por trás do rótulo de desviantes relacionado a usuários de maconha em Sumé-PB.

Abstract

This study investigates the structural racism embedded in the "deviant" label commonly attributed to cannabis users in Sumé, Paraíba, Brazil. It demonstrates how this labeling is deeply associated with racial prejudice and systemic discrimination. Combining the author's autoethnography—as a Black woman and cannabis user—with response letters from local residents, the research uncovers a selective criminalization process that disproportionately targets Black individuals while often tolerating white users. The findings point to the legacy of Brazilian prohibitionism, which, since its eugenic origins in the early 20th century, has operated as a racialized mechanism of social control. Methodologically, the study employs a Freirean approach and draws on critical perspectives from theorists such as Becker (2008), Almeida (2019), and Kilomba (2019). Additionally, it adopts the epistolary method informed by the works of Oliveira (2020) and Nascimento (2024), enriching the qualitative analysis. Results reveal stark disparities in police practices, the stigmatization of Black cannabis users, and the cultural forms of resistance developed by these communities. The study concludes that cannabis decriminalization must be accompanied by direct actions against structural racism in order to ensure genuine social justice.