Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/55330
Title: Drug culture amongst young persons in tertiary education
Authors: Formosa, Roberta
Keywords: Drug abuse -- Malta -- Public opinion
University students -- Malta -- Attitudes
Stigma (Social psychology) -- Malta
Issue Date: 2019
Citation: Formosa, R. (2019). Drug culture amongst young persons in tertiary education (Bachelor's dissertation).
Abstract: Over the years, society has experienced several changes in lifestyles and mentalities, with considerable changes being noted in drug use and society’s perception of it. Drug use, as opposed to the past wherein society viewed it as an activity solely linked to certain social classes and people, has become an activity widespread across all social strata and in both men and women. The recreational and sensible use of “soft” drugs is no longer perceived as a problematic and dangerous activity, especially among youth (Parker, Aldridge and Williams, 2002). Having said this, this dissertation aims at measuring the extent, if any, of drug normalisation among University students. This was done by assessing the following five dimensions: “access and availability”, “drug trying rates”, “recent and regular drug use”, “social accommodation” and “cultural accommodation”. A quantitative research method was adopted, conducted through the use of an online questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered and completed by a total of 109 University students between the ages of 18 and 24. The findings indicated the presence of normalisation in four of five dimensions. Only the “social accommodation” of drug use was not found to present sufficient evidence for the normalisation of drug use. Whilst the access and availability of drugs, especially of cannabis, were found to be considerably high, as were drug trying rates and the regular use of drugs, the majority of abstainers held strong views against sensible, recreational drug use and perceived it as a problem. Nonetheless, cannabis use was found to have become normalised as many students made a distinction between its use and the use of other drugs. Following the findings obtained from the research study, it was inferred that policy-makers would obtain a contextual understanding of drug use among youth, and distinguish between the use and frequency of use of different drugs, as was clearly evident in participants’ response. This shall assist policy-makers in addressing and responding to drug use among youth in a more successful and effective manner.
Description: B.A.(HONS)CRIMINOLOGY
URI: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/55330
Appears in Collections:Dissertations - FacSoW - 2019
Dissertations - FacSoWCri - 2019

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