Perspectives on Daily Cannabis use: Consumerism or a Problem for Treatment?

• Published in: Nordisk alkohol- & narkotikatidskrift : NAT 2013-10, Vol.30 (5), p.387-402
• Main Authors: Kronbæk, Mette, Frank, Vibeke Asmussen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adults; Cannabis; Denmark; Drug use; Drug users; Marijuana; Medical treatment; narratives; Perception; qualitative; recreational and problematic use; Substance abuse treatment
• ISSN: 1455-0725; 1458-6126
• DOI: 10.2478/nsad-2013-0034

AIM – To discuss similarities and differences in the way cannabis users with and without treatment experiences present their trajectories into daily use of cannabis. To observe the differences in patterns between the cannabis users' descriptions of their recreational use and the development from a recreational to a more problematic use of cannabis. METHODS – Qualitative interviews were conducted with 32 adult cannabis users in Denmark. All respondents used cannabis daily. The respondents were 22–61 years old; 16 had had experiences with cannabis treatment while 16 had not. By using a mixed sample of respondents with and without treatment experiences, we were able to compare perspectives on cannabis initiation and trajectories not commonly examined. FINDINGS – All the respondents had started to use cannabis socially as adolescents in the company of peers, using it with specific peer groups and in particular social contexts. All the respondents viewed it as a positive practice. The respondents highlighted certain differences of why, how and when cannabis was used as crucial in explaining how cannabis use had remained a recreational activity or had become problematic. Four trajectories into daily cannabis use were constructed from the users' narratives. For some respondents, daily cannabis use in adulthood was an inclusive and non-problematic activity while others described their cannabis use developing into a problematic and exclusive habit. CONCLUSIONS – Trajectories into and continuation of daily use is understood and perceived in different ways by daily cannabis users. It is not the amount of cannabis that determines whether daily use is considered problematic nor not. Rather, it is how, when and with whom cannabis is used that forms experiences and perceptions of problematic or unproblematic use.