Shisha Use Is Associated with Deviance among High School Students in Accra, Ghana

ABSTRACT

A number of studies have established an association between smoking, use of other drugs, and deviance. However, little is known about the association of shisha use or marijuana use, or their interaction, with deviance. We examined the effect of shisha and marijuana use within the past thirty days, including their interaction, on deviance among high school students in Accra, Ghana. In this cross-sectional survey, participants were selected from four senior high schools using quota sampling. The sample comprised 217 males and 112 females (M_age = 17.23, SD_age = 1.33) who completed a self-administered questionnaires. A factorial ANOVA was used in analyzing the data. Main effects of shisha and marijuana use within the past thirty days, including their interaction effect on deviance was established. Although studies of shisha use have often been skewed toward the health problems associated with its use, current findings suggest that using shisha is associated with deviant behavior. Also, the use of marijuana is associated with committing deviant acts. Policy makers should consider a ban on shisha use among adolescents in Ghana.

KEYWORDS:

• Deviance
• peers
• shisha
• marijuana
• drug use

Acknowledgments

We express our gratitude to all the students who participated in the study, including their teachers and principals for their assistance. Also, we acknowledge the invaluable comments and suggestions from the anonymous reviewers, and editor, which has made this paper better than it was initially submitted.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).