Cannabis: An ethnographic exploration of individual trends and socio-cultural context

The aim of this project is to examine the relationship between socio-cultural context and individual trends in shaping different cannabis consumption patterns among experienced adult users. This is based on the premise that different beliefs and attitudes about cannabis in terms of how, when, where, with whom and for what purpose it should or should not be used, can be directly related to variations in patterns of use. Focusing on the socio-cultural context of individual user trends means that cannabis co nsumption is primarily interpreted and evaluated in terms of the meanings and values of the target population. The point of departure for this project will be a comparative ethnographic analysis of two experienced adult user groups, aged 30+, with regular to heavy patterns of cannabis use. These will represent contrasting aspects of the continuum; from well integrated recreational users to the more problematic, socially marginalized users with little education that are most statistically prevalent among a dult cannabis users in Norway. By focusing on this target population, it may be possible to isolate and identify which factors contribute to problem use and dependency on the one hand and which factors enable more recreational and counter-cultural pattern s of use to be maintained. Research questions will therefore center primarily on how transitions and variations in user trajectories reflect contingencies of lifestyle, social interaction and identity in different contexts, based on the social, cultural a nd experiential realities of the study population; and the extent to which these compare with and are affected by public representations in society at large. These are key aspects which have been identified as being particularly relevant for generating th e knowledge required to inform social policy and therefore deal more effectively with cannabis use in contemporary society.