“GRASS” ROOTS IN TEXAS: A Multiple Streams Approach to Understanding the Marijuana Movement’s Policy Impact

Abstract

Several scholars have pointed to a gap between the social movement and policy literatures, and argue that the failure of each field to incorporate the other creates a missing link in our understanding of how social movements and policy shape each other. This study provides an opportunity to make these links by applying John Kingdon's multiple streams framework of agenda setting to the marijuana movement in Texas. Texas, an unlikely candidate for marijuana reform, was the site of sustained efforts to change marijuana laws during the 2015 legislative session. This research offers evidence about the ways in which social movements influence the policy process, and how the policy process responds to activist efforts. We find that despite well-organized movement efforts, political influence was limited. We argue that the reform movement's inability to control activist participation presents additional challenges in a nonballot initiative state such as Texas.

An Analysis of How Politics Stream Affects the Implementation of Road Safety Policy Measures in Nyanza Region, Kenya

“…Yusuf, Neill, John, Ash, and Mahar (2016) examined the impact of political streams on climate change agenda setting, but the current research examined Political Streams on implementation of road safety policy measures. Harris and Morris (2017) used multiple stream approach to evaluate outcome of marijuana movement on political affairs at the grass-roots level in Texas, USA. Despite the presence of a well-organized campaign, the study found that political power had only a slight effect on marijuana policy.…”

“…Conservative political power, reelection fears and fear of primary challenges, the fear of political retaliation, resistance among law enforcement organizations, and the general impression that existed within legislatures all contributed to the minimal influence. Harris and Morris (2017) conducted their study on Marijuana policy in the United States, an advanced democracy, but the current study examined road safety in Kenya. Helfer (2016) conducted research on the political stream, media, and agenda setting in Switzerland.…”