Differentiating the Drug Normalization Framework: A Quantitative Assessment of Cannabis Use Patterns, Accessibility, and Acceptability Attitudes among University Undergraduates

Abstract

Women report lower odds of positive cannabis acceptability attitudes. While women report lower rates of recent cannabis use, gender is not a significant predictor for lifetime prevalence. Being a recent immigrant significantly predicts lower recent use, lower odds of favorable attitudes to cannabis, and reduced accessibility in comparison to students born in Canada. Longer-term immigrants do not show significant differences from students born in Canada on accessibility and acceptability, suggesting a substance use acculturation effect. Lower peer cannabis use prevalence exhibits a protective effect against use. In comparison to students who report that "some" of their peer network uses cannabis, those with "all" users in their network exhibit lower acceptability attitudes. This suggests a threshold relationship between peer use prevalence and acceptability. Conclusions/Importance: This article provides a data point for assessing future shifts in cannabis normalization prior to impending changes in Canadian drug policy that will legalize recreational cannabis use. Results show that normalization components of recent use, acceptability, and accessibility are differentiated by gender, nativity, and peer network cannabis use prevalence.

Control of Recreational Cannabis in a New Zealand University Sample: Perceptions of Informal and Formal Controls

“…44 It should be mentioned, however, that in the present study, a small percentage of students linked heavy use to being normal (3.7%) and to positive social attributes (11%) and these perceptions were more likely to be held by males than by females. Similar to Kolar et al, 27 we found females to have less accepting attitudes than did males towards cannabis, however, this difference was predominantly in relation to perceptions of heavy use rather than cannabis use in general. In addition, students who had more regular-using friends were more likely than were others to perceive heavy cannabis users to have positive social attributes.…”

“…The current findings show that while the law does not deter cannabis use, informal controls might. Similar to international research on adult drug users [23][24][25] and students, 27 we found that, amongst a student sample in NZ, informal controls provide a threshold for normalization. Moreover, addressing the call by Kolar et al 27 to explore drug acceptability attitudes further, we were able to identify the attitudes shaping this threshold.…”

“…Similar to international research on adult drug users [23][24][25] and students, 27 we found that, amongst a student sample in NZ, informal controls provide a threshold for normalization. Moreover, addressing the call by Kolar et al 27 to explore drug acceptability attitudes further, we were able to identify the attitudes shaping this threshold. The use of prototypes revealed that students' perceptions of cannabis users vary as a function of cannabis use (abstinence, moderate use, heavy use) and exemplify the importance of future prototype research controlling for levels of use, rather than limiting perceptions to those pertaining to "typical use."…”

“…In the present study, we also examine whether the elicited prototypes are gender-specific because past research has found that compared to females, males have stronger internalized cannabis norms 28 and more accepting attitudes towards cannabis. 27 Moreover, to inform our understanding of informal (versus formal) controls, students' perceptions of whether the illegality of cannabis influences individuals' use will be explored. Given previous research in NZ revealing that arrests are unlikely, penalties are mild, and that prosecution does not deter subsequent use, 10 we anticipated students' attitudes to be similar to those found in international research on adult cannabis users, [12][13] namely that the law is soft and modifies use, for instance, shaping where, rather than whether, one uses cannabis.…”

Prelegalisation patterns and trends of cannabis use among Canadian youth: results from the COMPASS prospective cohort study

“…Other factors have recently been suggested, for example, seeing drugs as a means of achieving normal goals, such as cannabis use by athletes to enhance performance 41–43. Indicators for the normalisation of cannabis use have been prevalent in Canada for some time 34 44–46. Subsequent to reduced restriction of medical cannabis in 2014, rates of students who thought cannabis easy to access significantly increased in 2015/2016 (Y4) and rose in tandem with further deregulation 1 2.…”