Objective:
To gain information on the marijuana experiences and expectancies of youth in an urban Indian area, which may be used for forming the framework for the development of effective primary prevention strategies in the future.
Method:
This was a cross-sectional study conducted in various colleges of Mumbai; 260 students from three colleges who were above 18 years were selected by systematic random sampling. The participant had to fill a sociodemographic questionnaire and marijuana effect expectancy questionnaire (MEEQ-B) and it was analyzed by using the SPSS software.
Results:
A significant association was found between negative marijuana expectancies and type of family, with cannabis users and non-users, who want to try cannabis and those who are aware of the legal issues and harmful effects of cannabis.
Conclusion:
Preventive drug education should begin in early adolescence and should deter or delay drug use through changes in knowledge, attitude, behavior, and expectation. Adolescent drug education must meet the needs of those naive to drugs as well as those experiencing initial drug exposure. This is the first study which highlights the youth experiences and expectancies about marijuana in India.
Background: Medical students are more susceptible to stress associated with long working hours, arduous studies, and living alone away from the home, which may affect their psychological well-being. They may indulge in the use of internet and pornography to ameliorate their stress. Internet is one of the main sources of pornographic content as it is easily available, affordable, and accessible. Objective: The current study seeks to quantitatively estimate the extent of internet addiction and pornography use among medical students in India, and its effect on their general well-being. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in a medical college in North India involving undergraduate (including interns) and postgraduate medical students. Those using internet for porn use were assessed using a semi-structured sociodemographic questionnaire, General Health Questionnaire 30, WHO Quality of Life Index (WHOQOL)-BREF, and Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Results: A total of 393 medical students who agreed on their pornography internet usage were recruited for the study. Problematic pornography internet usage (moderate and 0severe IAT scores) was seen in 11% (80) of the participants. Male and married students were more likely to be problematic users. The mean duration of pornography use was 8.02±6.32 h/week. The time spent on pornography use positively correlated with IAT and General Health Questionnaire scores, whereas it negatively correlated with WHOQOL-BREF scores. Conclusions: Internet pornography use is significantly prevalent amongst medical students in India. As the duration of pornography use increases, general health measures and quality of life decrease, which may impact their well-being and academic performance.
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