Beyond deficit and harm reduction: Incorporating the spectrum of wellness as an interpretive framework for cannabis consumption.
Todd Subritzky
The International journal on drug policy October 1, 2018 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.07.013 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | Argues that dominant deficit, public health, and harm reduction frameworks leave analytical blind spots around non-problematic cannabis use, the intersection of medical and recreational intent, and pleasure. Proposes that the spectrum of wellness, despite limited academic integration with cannabis consumption, may serve as a complementary framework for broader examination of cannabis consumer activity. |
Abstract
The cannabis academic literature is informed by dominant deficit, public health and harm reduction frameworks. However, a large majority of cannabis consumption appears to place outside the scope of these models that prioritise the identification and limitation of negative impacts. As such there are apparent analytical blind spots pertaining to: non-problematic use of cannabis (as defined by Global Commission on Drug Policy); the intersection of medical and recreational intents of use; and pleasure. This paper explores the academic and grey literature relating to the spectrum of wellness to assess its suitability as a framework for cannabis scholars. For millennia cannabis use has been associated with wellness models, particularly at the nexus of mind, body, and spirit. Despite this seemingly obvious match, the academic literature that incorporates cannabis consumption patterns into wellness conceptions is thin. The spectrum of wellness has both advantages and disadvantages compared to existing models and may be useful as a complementary framework that allows for broader examination of cannabis consumer activity.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Causal association between cannabis and psychosis: examination of the evidence | 2004 | Review | |
| Cannabis sativa: A comprehensive ethnopharmacological review of a medicinal plant with a long history. General (historical and pharmacological review) | 2018 | Review | |
| Psychiatric effects of cannabis | 2001 | Review | |
| Beyond THC: The New Generation of Cannabinoid Designer Drugs | 2011 | Review | |
| Cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent, as an antipsychotic drug | 2006 | Review |