BECOMING A MARIHUANA USER (FROM CRIME AND DELINQUENCY, A READER, 1970 BY CARL A BERSANI - SEE NCJ-06248)

• NCJ Number: 10208
• Author(s): H S BECKER
• Date Published: 1953
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: Macmillan
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY, V 59 N 3 (NOVEMBER 1953), P 235-242

Annotation

A DESCRIPTION OF THE SEQUENCE OF CHANGES IN ATTITUDE AND EXPERIENCE WHICH LEAD TO THE USE OF MARIJUANA FOR PLEASURE.

Abstract

AN INDIVIDUAL IS ABLE TO USE MARIJUANA FOR PLEASURE ONLY WHEN HE GOES THROUGH A PROCESS OF LEARNING TO CONCEIVE OF IT AS AN OBJECT WHICH CAN BE USED IN THIS WAY. NO ONE BECOMES A USER WITHOUT LEARNING TO SMOKE THE DRUG IN A WAY WHICH WILL PRODUCE REAL EFFECTS, LEARNING TO RECOGNIZE THE EFFECTS AND CONNECT THEM WITH DRUG USE, AND LEARNING TO ENJOY THE SENSATIONS HE PERCEIVES. IN THE COURSE OF THIS PROCESS HE DEVELOPS A DISPOSITION OR MOTIVATION TO USE MARIJUANA WHICH WAS NOT AND COULD NOT HAVE BEEN PRESENT WHEN HE BEGAN USE, FOR IT INVOLVES AND DEPENDS ON CONCEPTIONS OF THE DRUG WHICH COULD ONLY GROW OUT OF THE KIND OF EXPERIENCES DESCRIBED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)