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Research Article

Identifying drug risk perceptions in Danish youths: Ranking exercises in focus groups

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Pages 528-543 | Published online: 25 Jun 2010
 

Abstract

Aim: This article develops an analytical approach for understanding the perceptions of drug-related risks among youths in general. These perceptions are central for comprehending how certain drugs become popular while others do not. The method is not only suited for understanding trends but would be able to provide relevant data for targeting and developing prevention strategies as well.

Methods: We develop a specific methodology that combines a ranking exercise in focus groups with discourse theory as an analytical approach. This produces detailed information and provides a relatively efficient way of investigating risk perceptions. The methodology is developed in relation to a Danish case with 12 focus group interviews with youths aged from 17 to 22 years.

Findings: The analysis identifies five discourses in the discussions on risk. These discourses position specific drugs as more or less harmful. Focusing on cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine, it appears that light cannabis use is seen as both harmless and accepted, whereas ecstasy is considered very dangerous. Cocaine has an ambiguous position, being perceived as neither harmless nor very dangerous.

Conclusion: It is argued that due to its unclear position, resulting from the interplay between the discourses, cocaine might be undergoing a process of partial normalization. An emphasis on risk perceptions is important for prevention purposes and the applied methodology is useful in tracking changes in the popularity of various drugs.

Notes

Notes

[1] See Korf, Nabben, and Benschop (Citation2003), Mounteney and Leirvåg (Citation2004), Topp, Breen, Kaye, and Darke (Citation2004), Winstock, Griffiths, and Stewart (Citation2001) for, respectively, Dutch, Norwegian, Australian and British examples on designs for monitoring trends in drug use. Despite their sensitivity, these studies focus on drug-users and on patterns of use, not on perceptions of drugs and risks among the large group of non-users.

[2] Therma power is a medicament used for weight reduction or performance enhancement. It is illegal in Denmark due to a high content of ephedrine, but can be bought on foreign Internet sites.

[3] Interestingly, the discourse of naturalness would in some discussions position mushroom as less dangerous than e.g. speed or cocaine due to its natural origin–thus downplaying the hallucinogenic effects of the drug.

[4] The relation between risk perception and frequencies of use is, for instance, shown in the ESPAD school study on alcohol and other drugs (Morgan et al., Citation1999).

[5] Parallel findings are reported by Vervaeke and Korf, who asked ecstasy-inexperienced young Dutchmen about their motives for not trying ecstasy. The most common motive (67.9%) was that ‘you never know what you get’ (Vervaeke & Korf, Citation2005).

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