Race, culture and ‘cannabis psychosis’: The role of social factors in the construction of a disease category
Chris Ranger
Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies April 1, 1989 DOI: 10.1080/1369183x.1989.9976125 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Psychiatrists and black mental health support groups |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Citations | 5 |
| Key findings | Argues that the development of 'cannabis psychosis' as a disease category has been strongly influenced by factors of race and culture, and that medical knowledge is a product of social forces rather than existing independently of them. |
Abstract
This paper examines the social factors which contribute to the construction of the controversial disease category of ‘cannabis psychosis’. Traditionally, medicine has been viewed as a science, and medical knowledge, unlike medical practice, has been treated as existing independently of any social forces. The social constructionist approach to medicine is based on the view that medical knowledge as well as medical practice is a product of social forces. Through an examination of the literature, and interviews with psychiatrists and black mental health support groups, it is shown that the development of ‘cannabis psychosis’ as a disease category has been strongly influenced by factors of race and culture.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychoactive substances as a last resort—a qualitative study of self-treatment of migraine and cluster headaches Users of online forums discussing cluster headache and migraine treatments | 2017 | Qualitative thematic analysis | |
| Psychoactive drug or mystical incense? Overview of the online available information on Spice products Web pages related to Spice products | 2009 | Qualitative study | n = 200 |
| Patterns, Trends, and Meanings of Drug Use by Dance-drug Users in Edinburgh, Scotland Clubbers in clubs and pre-club bars | 2004 | Cross-sectional survey with focus groups | n = 124 |
| Fascination and Social Togetherness-Discussions about Spice Smoking on a Swedish Internet Forum. Swedish internet forum users who posted reports about Spice intoxication | 2013 | Qualitative study | n = 40 |
| Cannabis as entheogen: survey and interview data on the spiritual use of cannabis. Participants recruited from seven online communities, median age 33, 81% male | 2020 | Mixed methods (qualitative interviews and quantitative survey) | n = 319 |