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Stigma towards Marijuana Users and Heroin Users
1a Professor, Department of Psychology , University of Northern Iowa , Cedar Falls , IA.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
|July 7, 2015
Summary
Substance use stigma differs between marijuana and heroin. Less contact and specific beliefs increase marijuana stigma, while heroin stigma shows weaker links to these factors, suggesting substance-specific interventions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- High levels of stigma exist towards individuals with substance use disorders.
- Limited research investigates the specific contributors to substance use stigma.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine substance use stigma levels towards marijuana and heroin users.
- To investigate how perceiver characteristics (sex, contact, beliefs) contribute to stigma dimensions (social distance, negative emotions, forced treatment).
Main Methods:
- 250 college students with no prior illicit drug use history completed self-report measures.
- Assessed stigma towards marijuana and heroin users.
- Examined the influence of sex, previous contact, and beliefs about substance use on stigma.
Main Results:
- Higher internalized stigma was directed towards heroin users compared to marijuana users.
- For marijuana, less contact and beliefs in rarity, severity, and uncontrollability correlated with greater stigma.
- For heroin, these associations were weak or absent.
Conclusions:
- Substance use stigma should be examined and addressed on a substance-by-substance basis, not as a monolith.
- Interventions involving increased contact with substance users may effectively reduce stigma.
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