Welcome to the Adolescence in Cannabis and Culture - Special Topic community! We’re so happy you’re here and we want you take full advantage of the opportunities our new platform provides. Please read over the code of conduct so we can continue to ensure a safe and supportive space for all. Thank you for your dedication to the Popular Culture Association!

Call For Papers

The Cannabis Studies Area is a Special Topic area for the Popular Culture Association. The study of drug use, history, and culture has long been connected to popular culture, in particular literature, music, and film. Cannabis Studies is a cross-disciplinary approach to looking at cannabis’ social, cultural, historical, and political impact across the globe. Cannabis Studies not only strengthens the horticultural, business, and health-related work on cannabis, it creates a space to look at how cannabis and drug history varies in different spaces and communities, often focusing on the complex historical, cultural, social, political, and economic contexts of drug advocacy, activism, and consumption.

The Cannabis Studies Area seeks to explore the myriad of ways cannabis appears in popular culture and public discourse—from laws and policies to comics, music, movies, and material culture. We welcome the varied approaches and discussions around the field.

We welcome papers and panels on any facet of popular culture relating to cannabis studies and culture. Potential topics include:

o The use of cannabis in popular media
o Cannabis advocacy and activism
o Cannabis in material culture from film, television, and music, to comics, cartoons,
video games, and other material culture.
o Portrayals of cannabis users in popular culture across areas such as race, gender,
religion, and sexual identity.
o Celebrity cannabis culture
o Cannabis tourism around the world
o Cooking with cannabis
o Cannabis and comedy
o Cannabis in subcultures
o Writers and cannabis—both usage and writing about cannabis
o Cannabis in the archives—museums and special collections
o Teaching cannabis studies

Submission Requirements: Please submit a proposal/abstract of approximately 250 words at the Popular Culture Association Website. We also accept complete panel proposals of 3-4 people.

Undergraduate submissions, especially as part of panels, are welcome and encouraged.

Send Questions to the area chair:

Dr. Rebekah Buchanan 
rj-buchanan@wiu.edu

Important Dates to Remember:

• Database opens for Submissions - Sept. 1, 2025
• Early Bird Registration Begins - Sept. 1, 2025
• Deadline for Paper Proposals - Nov. 30, 2025
• Travel Grant Applications Due - Dec. 15, 2025
• Early Bird Registration Ends for Presenters - Dec. 31, 2025
• Regular Registration Begins for Presenters - Jan. 1, 2026 
• Travel Grant Decisions / Notifications - Jan. 31, 2026
• Regular Registration Ends for Presenters - Jan. 31, 2026
• Late Registration Starts for Presenters - Feb. 1, 2026
• Preliminary Program draft available - Feb. 6, 2026

Those Presenters Not Registered by Feb. 15 Will be Dropped from the Program

CONFERENCE IN ATLANTA, GA - April 8-11, 2026