Influence of Drug Abuse Prevention Education and Experience of Staying Abroad on Perceptions of Recreational Cannabis: A Pilot Study
- VernacularTitle:嗜好用大麻に対する認識に薬物乱用防止教育と諸外国滞在時の経験が与える影響に関する予備的研究
- Author:
Haruka SEKI
1
;
Ryota KUMAKI
1
;
Keiko AKAGAWA
1
;
Keiko KISHIMOTO
1
Author Information
- Keywords: marijuana; cannabis; cannabis control law; drug abuse; prevention education
- From:Japanese Journal of Social Pharmacy 2023;42(2):99-113
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
- Abstract: In this study, we aim to clarify the impact of drug abuse prevention education and the experiences of people who have stayed in countries that are tolerate marijuana use for recreational purposes on their beliefs regarding the relaxation of the Cannabis Control Law. On May 12-13th, 2022, a web-based questionnaire survey was presented to Japanese nationals aged 18-41 years who had spent at least 5 days in a marijuana-tolerant country. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted with “Views on the Relaxation of the Cannabis Control Law” as the objective variable. A total of 160 respondents (45.6% male) responded, of whom 33.8% supported relaxing the law for the consumption of recreational cannabis in the form of food, drink, or smoke. Additionally, 27.5% of the respondents had encountered recreational cannabis through some channel during their stay. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed a significant positive association between idea of supporting the relaxation of the law and the tolerance of the image of the physical and mental effects of recreational cannabis and the social effects of its distribution. Neither knowledge of marijuana and drug abuse nor the experience of being encouraged to use it during their stay were significantly associated. The study suggested that in order to deter marijuana use during stays in such countries, it is necessary not only to improve knowledge, but also to foster imagination and the ability to think and predict the physical and social effects of its use.
