Marie-Marthe Cousineau

A Canadian perspective on cannabis normalization among adults

Once associated with ‘deviant’ subcultures, the use of cannabis is now common across Canadian society. This has led some to argue that cannabis use is becoming normalized in Canada with important implications for drug policy, law enforcement and public health. This article takes up these issues, reporting the results of a qualitative study involving 165, socially integrated, adult cannabis users in four Canadian cities (Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto and Halifax). The aims of this study were twofold; first, we sought to contribute to recent efforts to extend the analysis of normalization and its associated features from adolescent and young adult populations to older adults, with a particular focus on cannabis. Second, we wished to respond to recent calls for greater analysis of both the social and structural determinants of normalization, as well as its contingent, ‘micro-level’ features. Our examination of these diverse dimensions revealed significant changes in the meaning and status of cannabis use in Canada. Although some social and personal stigmas remain, our research suggests they are largely confined to the immoderate, ‘irresponsible’ use of cannabis, while more ‘controlled’ use among adults appears all but de-stigmatized. This process has involved changes in the ways risks associated with cannabis use are characterized and managed; shifts in the ways adult cannabis users seek to moderate their use; as well as broader social and cultural shifts in the meanings associated with cannabis in Canada. We conclude with a discussion of the potential impacts of these developments for drug policy debates in Canada and elsewhere.

Internet Gambling, Substance Use, and Delinquent Behavior: An Adolescent Deviant Behavior Involvement Pattern

Internet gambling among adolescents is a growing phenomenon that has received little attention to date. This study examines associations between Internet gambling and the severity of gambling, substance use (SU), and delinquent behavior among 1,870 Quebec students aged 14 to 18. The results show a higher proportion of Internet-gambling (IG) students reporting problematic substance use and delinquency, compared with nongamblers (NG) and non-Internet gamblers (NIG). Furthermore, a higher proportion of at-risk and probable pathological gamblers are found among IG compared with NIG. A moderating effect (Baron & Kenny, 1986) of the gambler categories (NIG, IG) was found in the relationship between the associated problems and the severity of gambling. Among IG, the severity of delinquency and of substance use contributes to explaining gambling severity whereas, among NIG, the severity of delinquency is the only factor that significantly contributes to such an explanation. Discussion of the results is based on Jessor, Donovan, and Costas (1991) general deviance syndrome theory.

A comparative study of the influence of collective efficacy on substance use among adolescent students in Philadelphia, Toronto, and Montreal

The purpose of this study was to describe the differences in illegal adolescent substance use among representative samples of secondary school students in Philadelphia (N = 712), Toronto (N = 983), and Montreal (N = 824) and apply a novel theoretical perspective. Collective efficacy is a widely cited criminological theory that has not been applied to minor forms of delinquency such as underage alcohol use and cannabis use. We examined the influence of four measures of collective efficacy on substance use among students aged 14–17 years in these three cities. We found that adolescents in Montreal consistently reported higher prevalence of alcohol and cannabis use than those in either Toronto or Philadelphia, and these differences remained significant after controlling for compositional differences. We also found that collective efficacy has some theoretical and empirical merit in all three cities surveyed, as the component of neighborhood closure was associated consistently with adolescent substance use involving alcohol and cannabis. However, the other collective efficacy measures of social cohesion, parental closure, and child control were not significantly related to these forms of adolescent substance use and showed some interaction effects by site. Future research is needed to better understand the value of collective efficacy in explaining adolescent substance use, and should be applied to more serious forms of drug use and drug selling.

Gender Difference in Internet Use and Internet Problems among Quebec High School Students

Objectives: There are presently no data available concerning Internet addiction (IA) problems among adolescents in Canada and the province of Quebec. The goal of this study is thus to document and compare the influence of gender on Internet use and addiction. Method: The study data were collected from a larger research project on gambling among adolescents. Activities conducted online (applications used and time spent) as well as answers to the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) were collected from 3938 adolescents from grades 9 to 11. The two most often employed cut-off points for the IAT in the literature were documented: (40-69 and 70+) and (50+). Results: Boys spent significantly more time on the Internet than did girls. A greater proportion of the girls made intense use of social networks, whereas a greater proportion of the boys made intense use of massively multiplayer online role-playing games, online games, and adult sites. The proportion of adolescents with a potential IA problem varied according to the cut-off employed. When the cut-off was set at 70+, 1.3% of the adolescents were considered to have an IA, while 41.7% were seen to be at risk. At a 50+ cut-off, 18% of the adolescents were considered to have a problem. There was no significant difference between the genders concerning the proportion of adolescents considered to be at risk or presenting IA problems. Finally, analysis of the percentile ranks would seem to show that a cut-off of 50+ better describes the category of young people at risk. Conclusions: The results of this study make it possible to document Internet use and IA in a large number of Quebec adolescents.

Transition from playing with simulated gambling games to gambling with real money: a longitudinal study in adolescence

Abstract Digital technology advances have supported an expansion of gambling activities, which is notable via the advent of simulated gambling games. Simulated gambling reproduces ‘real’ gambling activities, which enables the users to gamble without investing money. According to research evidence, a certain number of adolescents are playing with these games, but until now little has been known about how they could facilitate the migration to gambling with real money. Using a longitudinal design with a one-year interval period, the goal of this study was to assess the potential transition between playing with simulated gambling and the initiation to gambling with real money. The final sample was constituted of 1220 adolescents (age range = 14 to 18 y.o.) who had never played with real money at the first measurement time. At the second measurement time, 28.8% of the participants had gambled for the first time with real money. Logistic regressions revealed that the predictive association between simulated gambling and gambling with real money only holds for adolescents who transitioned from simulated poker to poker with real money. These findings highlight the need for regulation and monitoring on Internet gambling poker sites, as well as further research to assess the mechanisms at work.

Adolescent Technology Use: Profiles of Distinct Groups and Associated Risky Behaviors

Introduction: Adolescents make regular use of a wide range of technologies, such as console video games, mobile phones and a variety of Internet applications. Although this usage is not problematic for most individuals, some adolescents do use them excessively. Objective: The main objective of this article is to explore the presence of clusters within a sample of adolescents based on dimensions associated with risky behaviors (substance use, gambling and delinquency) and problematic use of technologies (Internet and console video games). Methods: The sample consists of 1,870 adolescents in the 14-18 year age group who were recruited in French-language high schools in Quebec (Canada). Results: The main results showed that one in ten adolescents was a high Internet user. A cluster analysis identified three groups of participants: non-problematic boys, non-problematic girls, and adolescents with multiple problems. The latter group included all of the high Internet users and some high video game users. These participants had the highest severity scores for substance use and delinquency and received higher scores for psychological distress, impulsivity and sensation seeking. Conclusions: These results support the presence of a subgroup of adolescents with high levels of co-occurring risky behaviors and suggest that excessive use of technology may also be a characteristic of this group.

Enforcing Institutional Regulations in Prison Settings The Case of Gambling in Quebec

Although gambling is permitted in free society, it is prohibited in all detention facilities under the jurisdiction of the Province of Quebec. In this article, the authors focus on correctional officers’ opinions concerning this regulation, as well as their reasons for choosing whether or not to enforce it. The absence of disciplinary reports issued in this regard confirms that coercion is rarely, if ever, used to counter this activity. When interventions do occur, they are aimed less at the act of betting than at the associated undesirable behaviors, such as disturbing the peace in the cellblock. Many of the guards interviewed see gambling as a positive leisure activity, in the sense that it generates negative impacts only occasionally. It even makes their work easier because pleasure eases tensions and helps maintain tranquility in the block. Since this activity does not usually jeopardize the safety of the correctional population or the prison staff, it is often used as a conciliation tool, which is evidence of the guards’ discretionary power.

Psychosocial Difficulties in Adolescents nine Months after a Railway Accident.

A railway accident which occurred in Lac-Megantic in Quebec, Canada, caused disruption for an entire community. This study examines the psychosocial difficulties in a group of exposed adolescents aged between 11 to 17, nine months after the tragedy. The analyses were conducted on a sample of 515 adolescents, attending high school, and living near the impact area. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mental health problems (depression, anxiety), and problem use of alcohol or drugs prevalence were estimated. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for PTSD clinical threshold. Almost half (43.4%) of adolescents reported being severely exposed to the railway accident and one third (31.3%) have reported a PTSD. Serious injuries, depression and anxiety (p < .05) were associated with greater risks for adolescents with a PTSD. However, sex, victimization, and emerging problems or problem use of alcohol or drugs are not associated with the PTSD. The results of the study highlight the relationship between a traumatic event such as the railway accident and the presence of PTSD nine months after, as well as risk factors for PTSD in adolescents. Paying close attention to mental health problems in adolescents when a traumatic event occurs and provide adequate aid is essential.