Medical Students’ Views on Cannabis Use in Recreational Contexts Are Related to Their Own Consumption Intention

Anca-Livia Panfil, Simona C. Tamasan, Lucretia Marin-Bancila, Bianca Matei, Minas G. Musca, Claudia C. Vasilian, Alina Petrica and Diana Lungeanu ()
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Anca-Livia Panfil: Center for Modeling Biological Systems and Data Analysis, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Simona C. Tamasan: Center for Modeling Biological Systems and Data Analysis, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Lucretia Marin-Bancila: Center for Modeling Biological Systems and Data Analysis, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Bianca Matei: Center for Modeling Biological Systems and Data Analysis, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Minas G. Musca: Center for Modeling Biological Systems and Data Analysis, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Claudia C. Vasilian: Liaison Psychiatry, “Pius Brinzeu” County Emergency Hospital, 300723 Timisoara, Romania
Alina Petrica: Department of Surgery, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Diana Lungeanu: Center for Modeling Biological Systems and Data Analysis, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania

Societies, 2024, vol. 14, issue 4, 1-19

Abstract: Health professionals are regarded as important sources of information and guidance for healthy living. Knowing health determinants and risks, and invested with credibility in society, many struggle with their own human limits to apply these principles. A cross-sectional study was conducted among advanced medical students to assess their attitude towards recreational cannabis consumption, intention to use it, and their opinion of its legal status. Secondary objectives were to explore the relation of these primary outcomes to: (a) potentially addictive habits (such as smoking and drinking); (b) individuals’ disturbances in self-organization (DSOs), defined in the ICD-11 as pervasive chronic effects of traumatic experiences or stressful events. An anonymous online questionnaire active in November 2022 collected data from 171 medical students, of which almost 56% were in favor of recreational cannabis legalization. In a logistic regression analysis, each additional point of own consumption intention (on a scale from 1 to 5) was found to increase the odds of a positive opinion of legalization by three times, when controlling for gender, age, smoking, drinking, onset age of smoking, and DSO: OR = 2.918, 95%CI (1.893–4.497). In conclusion, health professionals’ personal beliefs and practices regarding substance use have a significant subjective component.

Keywords: cannabis; poly-substance use; healthcare professionals; young adults; CUIQ; ITQ; DSO; complex PTSD (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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