Reid Matt
Department of Sociology and Criminology, Cabrini University, Radnor, USA.
J Cannabis Res. 2020 Dec 7;2(1):46. doi: 10.1186/s42238-020-00056-8.
As laws change and cannabis use increases, it is worthwhile to take a rich account of cannabis stigmas in society, and this review identifies a disjunction between quantitative investigations on cannabis users and qualitative investigations on the same population. This is also the first attempt to explicate cannabis stigmas as they manifest on multiple analytical levels. Following brief explanations of the normalization hypothesis and the concept of stigma, this review is organized between structural (macro) stigmas, social (meso) stigmas, and personal (micro) stigmas. Furthermore, since cannabis stigmas are similar to the stigmas faced by sexual minorities in that each is physically concealable, the two groups are compared here because the literature base is more extensive with the latter.
This qualitative review synthesizes the body of empirical studies on both medical and nonmedical cannabis use with attention to stigma, stereotypes, and other social consequences. Studies considered for the review mostly come from the social sciences, particularly sociology. The information presented here is primarily drawn from peer-reviewed articles on cannabis users in the USA, though research from similar national contexts is cited as well.
This review suggests claims of normalization may be premature. While stigmas surrounding cannabis appear to have diminished, there is little evidence that such stigmas have entirely disappeared. It is possible that sweeping claims of cannabis normalization may be symptomatic of unchecked social privileges or social distance from cannabis users. Such claims may also be the product of valuing quantitative data over the nuanced accounts uncovered through qualitative investigations.
This substantial coverage of the literature indicates the lived experience of a post-prohibition society is not the same as a one where cannabis is normalized. Individuals working with those who use cannabis should not assume stigmas have disappeared, especially since cannabis stigmas often intersect with other sources of social inequality. While a comprehensive discussion of ways to combat lingering social stigmas is beyond the scope of this review, it concludes by highlighting some of the strategies identified through research which help users resist or mitigate these oppressive forces. Future research would be wise to prioritize the experiences of people of color, women, and adult populations if the hope is to identify ways to further normalize the plant in American society.
随着法律的变化以及大麻使用的增加，全面考量社会中对大麻的污名化现象是很有必要的。本综述发现，针对大麻使用者的定量研究与对同一人群的定性研究之间存在脱节。这也是首次尝试从多个分析层面阐述大麻污名化现象。在对常态化假设和污名概念进行简要解释之后，本综述按照结构（宏观）污名、社会（中观）污名和个人（微观）污名进行组织。此外，由于大麻污名与性少数群体所面临的污名相似，即两者都可以在外表上加以掩饰，因此在此对这两个群体进行比较，因为关于后者的文献基础更为广泛。
本定性综述综合了关于医用和非医用大麻使用的实证研究，关注污名、刻板印象及其他社会后果。纳入综述的研究大多来自社会科学领域，尤其是社会学。此处呈现的信息主要取自美国关于大麻使用者的同行评议文章，不过也引用了来自类似国家背景的研究。
本综述表明，宣称大麻常态化可能为时过早。虽然围绕大麻的污名似乎有所减少，但几乎没有证据表明此类污名已完全消失。对大麻常态化的一概而论的说法可能是无节制的社会特权的表现，或者是与大麻使用者存在社会距离的体现。此类说法也可能是重视定量数据而非定性研究所揭示的细微差别所致。
对文献的大量涵盖表明，后禁令时代社会的实际体验与大麻常态化的社会不同。与大麻使用者打交道的人不应假定污名已经消失，特别是因为大麻污名往往与其他社会不平等来源相互交织。虽然全面讨论消除持续存在的社会污名的方法超出了本综述的范围，但它在结尾强调了一些通过研究确定的有助于使用者抵御或减轻这些压迫性力量的策略。如果希望找到进一步使大麻在美国社会常态化的方法，未来的研究明智的做法是优先考虑有色人种、女性和成年人群体的经历。
