From subcultural to mainstream? The evolving meaning of cannabis use among youth in a restrictive policy context

Abstract

Background Cannabis liberalization trends are challenging traditional cannabis markets, opinions, cultures, and ultimately, the paradigms for understanding these social phenomena. Up-to-date studies across various socio-cultural and policy settings of how young people perceive and give meaning to their cannabis use are thus highly relevant for novel prevention and harm reduction strategies. Methods Individual interviews with 28 students (13 girls, 15 boys, 16–19 years) from Norway who had used cannabis. Investigation was based on the sociological concept of framing and thematic analysis. Results Participants tended to emphasize social equivalence between cannabis users and nonusers, and of cannabis and alcohol use in social settings. However, unlike alcohol, cannabis was also framed as a means for providing sleep, or for relieving depressive moods and ADHD symptoms. These framings markedly diverge from the traditional understandings of youths’ cannabis use in nonliberalized settings as either subcultural and opposition-oriented or recreational and normalized. Conclusions Our results indicate that even in a strict drug policy context like Norway, adolescent cannabis use is increasingly given meaning within a mainstream, rather than within a subcultural, frame. In addition, a medicinal discourse seems to be gaining foothold. Findings should be of relevance for various drug strategies aimed toward adolescents.