Settler colonialism on drugs: Tierney Kobryn-Dietrich, Indigenous Sovereignty and Canadian Drug Laws, PhD dissertation, McMaster University, 2025 | settler colonial studies blog

Settler colonialism on drugs: Tierney Kobryn-Dietrich, Indigenous Sovereignty and Canadian Drug Laws, PhD dissertation, McMaster University, 2025

14Feb25

Abstract: This dissertation explores how Canadian drug laws impact Indigenous sovereignty and
perpetuate settler colonialism. It analyzes cannabis, liquor, and tobacco regulations to show how
they have historically undermined Indigenous rights. The first chapter examines cannabis laws
from 1923 to the 2018 Cannabis Act, revealing how these laws limit Indigenous control and
criminalize resistance. The second chapter discusses liquor laws from the late 1800s to the early
1900s, highlighting how they shaped white settler identities by penalizing those who interacted
with Indigenous people. The third chapter critiques the Canadian tobacco industry’s portrayal of
the Mohawk tobacco trade as illegal, showing how this benefits the industry economically
through the criminalization of Indigenous peoples. Drawing on Settler Colonial Theory, Critical
Race Theory, and Indigenous Criminology, this study uncovers the complex ways colonial
power dynamics operate, helping us understand how drug laws continue to control Indigenous
peoples and legitimize the theft of their lands.

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