Article de Périodique
Framing substance use as "recreational" is neither accurate nor helpful for prevention purposes (2023)
Auteur(s) :
Z. M. SANCHEZ ;
M. I. FOLGAR ;
J. P. MATIAS ;
M. P. PIMENTEL ;
G. BURKHART
Article en page(s) :
795-811
Domaine :
Drogues illicites / Illicit drugs
Langue(s) :
Anglais
Thésaurus mots-clés
PREVENTION
;
USAGE RECREATIF
;
NORME
;
REPRESENTATION SOCIALE
;
PLAISIR
;
CROYANCE
;
DEFINITION
;
CANNABIS
;
PRODUIT ILLICITE
Résumé :
This debate paper discusses six reasons why the term "recreational substance use" should be avoided. (1) Social norms and beliefs are drivers of behavior; therefore, the normalized use of the term conveys injunctive norms of a fully socially acceptable substance. Injunctive norms are the most important drivers of initiation into substance use. (2) The illusion of being in control, suggesting that if consumed for leisure and recreation it can easily be controlled; (3) Idealized social representations that fuel an idealized image of an alternative glamourous or mindful consumption culture; (4) Downplaying potential harms; (5) The implicit promise of everyday pleasure, the ever-growing potency of cannabis products does not fit the narrative of its use for recreation; (6) Industry as a trojan horse branding discourse of the concept of medical cannabis to normalize the image of non-medical use: to complement "therapeutic" with "recreational". "Recreational use" is a subjective ill-defined term. This debate paper aims to find a better terminological solution, honestly denominating with a neutral, unbiased, and objective connotation what is now called "recreational use". Thus, we propose using the term "non-therapeutic" use.
Affiliation :
Preventive Medicine Department, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
Facultad de Educación y Trabajo Social, Universidad de Vigo, Orense, Spain
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), Lisbon, Portugal
GPRED - Grupo de Prevenção ao uso indevido de drogas da Polícia Federal, Sao Paulo, Brazil
European Society for Prevention Research (EUSPR), Lisbon, Portugal
Facultad de Educación y Trabajo Social, Universidad de Vigo, Orense, Spain
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), Lisbon, Portugal
GPRED - Grupo de Prevenção ao uso indevido de drogas da Polícia Federal, Sao Paulo, Brazil
European Society for Prevention Research (EUSPR), Lisbon, Portugal