cannabis users' informal rules for managing stigma and risk

Cannabis use has undergone a transition from what was once a largely marginal activity to one that is more generally established. Although the practice is both prevalent and tolerated widely, there is still a certain stigma experienced by users and associated risks that they acknowledge. The thesis of normalization suggests that a more nuanced understanding of such deviance is needed. The focus of analysis, accordingly, must shift from looking at types or traits of drug users to the specific circumstances in which a drug is used. Based on interviews conducted with experienced users in Toronto (N = 104), this paper examines the idea of normal cannabis consumption based on users' own perceptions and management of risk.

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