“I’ll Smoke, but I Won’t Eat Pork:” Observing the Effects of Cultural Identity on Drug Dealing and Use Amongst a Sample of Arab and Arab-American Men

Arabs and Arab Americans are an often understudied, or misrepresented, population in the field of criminology. This is especially true when discussing issues relevant to drug use and/or dealing, which are generally looked down upon in the Arab culture. This dissertation explores the drug using and dealing patterns of ten male, Arab and Arab American, Muslim active drug users. The data for this study were obtained through qualitative, in-person interviews over the course of three years. Data were coded using Grounded Theory. Aspects of Arab identity and participant drug use/dealing patterns are discussed. Suggestions for future research are presented.