PSYC 1010 Study Guide - Final Guide: British Lung Foundation, Drugs Controlled By The Uk Misuse Of Drugs Act, Smoking Cessation
20 Feb 2019
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ABSTRACT
Aims
To examine the relationship between smoking tobacco and cannabis use among smokers in
their mid-to-late teens.
Design and participants
Two qualitative studies in Scotland. One study used semistructured paired interviews involving
99 16–19-year-old smokers, the other comprised eight focus groups involving 46 15–16-year-
old smokers.
Measurement
The interviews and focus groups explored the role and mean- ing of smoking in the participants’
lives, smoking histories and future cessation intentions and how these related to other aspects
of their lives, particularly cannabis use.
Findings
Cannabis use was regarded as an important and enjoyable aspect of many of the participants’
lives. Importantly, cannabis use and cigarette smok- ing were linked inextricably. Several
reported how smoking joints had been a ‘gateway’ to smoking cigarettes. While most wanted to
quit smoking cigarettes, cannabis use reinforced their cigarette smoking and few wanted to stop
using cannabis. Conclusion National studies need to be conducted to examine how wide-
spread the problem identified is and tobacco control initiatives and smoking ces- sation
treatment services need to consider urgently how to overcome the barrier that a desire on the
part of young people to continue cannabis smoking poses to achieving a reduction in tobacco
use.
KEYWORDS Cannabis, cessation, qualitative, smoking, young people.
INTRODUCTION
cannabis, with 21% of boys and 18% of girls reporting use in the last month (Boreham & Shaw
2001). Others The British Home Secretary’s intended reclassification of
have raised concerns about how this change might cannabis in 2003 from a Class B to a Class
C drug (BBC
increase access to the drug and the possible health and 2002) has stimulated debate about the
probable impact
social consequences (British Lung Foundation 2002; on young people’s behaviour as well as
the health effects.
Drummond 2002; Henry et al . 2003). However, there Some health agencies and researchers
regard this as a
has been little discussion about the ways cannabis use sensible step, reflecting the widespread
use of cannabis
may act to increase and/or maintain cigarette smoking in among young people (Advisory
Council on the Misuse of
young people, which would have a major impact on their Drugs 2002; Bates 2002; Wodak et al .
2002). Cannabis is
future health. This probably reflects the paucity of the most widely used illegal drug in the United
Kingdom,
research that has explored the relationship between with prevalence highest among young
people (Clark et al .
young people’s smoking and cannabis use. While quan- 2002; Fraser 2002). In 2000 34% of
Scottish 15 years
titative studies find that most cannabis users also smoke olds boys and 30% of girls reported
that they had used
Drugs 2002), and therefore that cigarette smoking might act as a ‘gateway’ to cannabis, qualitative
research has indicated that for some young people the reverse may be true (Bell et al . 1998;
Allbutt et al . 1995). While the gate- way theory has its critics (Morral et al . 2002) tobacco smoking
and cannabis use appear to be linked, but this relationship is not well understood. We know little
about how young smokers view cannabis use, how this relates to their smoking behaviour and the
implications for pol- icies and action on cannabis and tobacco.
This paper draws on two qualitative studies of smok- ing among the mid-to-late teens to explore the
relation- ship between their cigarette smoking and cannabis use. The primary purpose of both
studies was to explore smok- ing behaviours and attitudes, including cessation and quitting
experiences’ within the wider context of their lives. Through this holistic approach it emerged that
for some young people cannabis use was not only an impor- tant and enjoyable part of their social
lives, but that it related to their smoking behaviour in different ways.
METHODS
The sample
Both studies involved teenage smokers living in Lothian, Scotland. The first study involved eight
focus groups, with 24 female and 22 male 15–16-year-old smokers. Participants were recruited by
a market research recruiter in friendship groups, i.e. each participant had at least one friend in the
focus group. Half the groups were ABC1 and half C2DE, and each group had participants from at
least two schools. All but one participant was still at school, and all had smoked at least one
cigarette in the preceding week.
The second study involved 48 paired interviews with a total of 99 16–19-year-old smokers, 52
female and 47 male. Interviewees were recruited purposively from a range of educational and
occupational backgrounds, with the sample weighted towards more disadvantaged smokers.
Recruitment sites included a youth café, col- leges, universities, youth clubs and work-places. All
had smoked at least one cigarette in the previous month. Seventy-five were regular (daily) smokers
and 24 social (non-daily) smokers.
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Document Summary
To examine the relationship between smoking tobacco and cannabis use among smokers in their mid-to-late teens. 99 16 19-year-old smokers, the other comprised eight focus groups involving 46 15 16-year- old smokers. The interviews and focus groups explored the role and mean- ing of smoking in the participants" lives, smoking histories and future cessation intentions and how these related to other aspects of their lives, particularly cannabis use. Cannabis use was regarded as an important and enjoyable aspect of many of the participants" lives. Importantly, cannabis use and cigarette smok- ing were linked inextricably. Several reported how smoking joints had been a gateway" to smoking cigarettes. While most wanted to quit smoking cigarettes, cannabis use reinforced their cigarette smoking and few wanted to stop using cannabis. Introduction cannabis, with 21% of boys and 18% of girls reporting use in the last month (boreham & shaw.
