NCJ Number
222792
Journal
Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 43 Issue: 3-4 Dated: 2008 Pages: 539-572
Date Published
2008
Length
34 pages
Annotation
Based on interviews with 41 adult Canadian marijuana users (25 men and 16 women) between 2005 and 2006, this exploratory qualitative research examined why they used marijuana recreationally and the social contexts in which it was used.
Abstract
Generally, individuals in the sample reported using marijuana because it enhanced relaxation and concentration, which made a broad range of leisure activities more enjoyable and interesting. They indicated that marijuana enhanced their relaxation by facilitating mental and emotional disengagement from their daily stresses and worries while watching television or movies, listening to music, and reducing anxieties in social interaction. Some noted that marijuana facilitated a focus on the natural environment, the positive aspects of mundane tasks, and the physical sensations of sexual activity. They reported no dependency or addiction problems, and there was no evidence that they were using marijuana as a means of escaping or retreating from any significant social or psychological problems. Most participants were middle-class, well-educated, gainfully employed, involved in a variety of hobbies and interests, and uninvolved in organized religion. Although these findings cannot be generalized due to the small sample size, their confirmation in future research may provide a compelling reason to reconsider current laws that prohibit marijuana use and cause recreational marijuana users to be subject to arrest, conviction, and sentencing that establishes a stigmatizing criminal record. The study used 31 personal, semistructured face-to-face interviews and 10 e-mail interviews. A synthesis of analytical induction and grounded theory (Glaser and Strauss, 1967) was used to guide the collection and analysis of the qualitative data provided in the interviews. 18 notes and 106 references