This study examines the causal mechanism linking religiosity to opposition to drug use. Using an electronic mail survey of university students, data were obtained about the participants' religious beliefs, their perceptions of drug use, and their attitudes toward the use of six common drugs (alcohol, cigarettes, cocaine, heroin, LSD, and marijuana). Based on the data, path models were estimated for each substance to investigate the causal structure underlying four constructs: religiosity, perceived immorality of drug use, perceived self-harm of drug use, and attitudes toward the control of drug use (control attitudes). The results support that religiosity affects control attitudes indirectly through perceived immorality of drug use.

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Perceptions of crime seriousness have been studied since the 1960s. Characteristics of acts affecting these perceptions have been identified, and the degree of agreement in seriousness judgments has been examined for a variety of behaviors. The present study extends this inquiry by investigating how perceptions of self-harm and perceptions of immorality shape attitudes toward the control of drug use. These attitudes and perceptions were measured for six widely known drugs -alcohol, cigarettes, cocaine, heroin, LSD, and marijuana -using an electronic mail survey of university students. Univariate analysis shows dissensus rather than consensus in attitudes and perceptions and that, with the exception of marijuana, control attitudes toward drug use reflect the existing legal code. Multivariate analysis shows that perceptions of self-harm and perceptions of immorality are moderately to highly correlated and that control attitudes are strongly affected by perceptions of self-harm and perceptions of immorality. __________ Stelios Stylianou, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Intercollege, Lefkosia, Cyprus. He received his Ph.D. from the Department of Sociology at the University of Washington, Seattle. His research focuses on the moral structure of social control. In particular, he has studied control attitudes toward victimless behaviors, predominantly drug use and sexual deviance. Direct correspondence to

Aqueous extraction of carob kibbles is the fundamental step in the production of carob juice and carob molasses. Improving the theoretical yield in sugars during organic solvent-free aqueous extraction is of prime interest to the food industry. Collateral extraction of phenolics, however, must be monitored as it influences the sensory and functional profile of carob juice. We presently examined the impact of source material, kibble size, temperature, and duration on the efficiency of extracting sugars and phenolics aqueously by conventional heat-assisted (HAE) and ultrasound-assisted (UAE) methods. Source material was the most influential factor determining the concentration of phenolics extracted by either method. Source material also influenced the relative proportions of sucrose, glucose, and fructose, which may impact the perceived sweetness of the juice. Kibble size (medium size M = 9–13 mm; powder size P = 1–4 mm) was more influential with UAE than HAE for both sugars and phenolics but was rendered less influential with prolonged UAE duration. Increasing HAE temperature (from 25 °C to 75 °C) favored the extraction of phenolics over sugars; however, prolonging extraction at 25 °C improved sugar yield without excessive yield in phenolics. Disproportionate extraction of phenolics over sugars limits the use of heat-assisted extraction to improve sugar yield in carob juice production and may shift the product’s sensory profile toward astringency. Prolonged extraction at near ambient temperature can, however, improve sugar yield, keeping collateral extraction of phenolics low. Ultrasound agitation constitutes an effective means of extracting sugars from powder-size kibbles. Industrial application of both methodologies depends on the targeted functional and sensory properties of carob juice.