Drug-Intake Methods and Social Identity: The Use of Marijuana in Blunts Among Southeast Asian Adolescents and Emerging Adults

Soller, Brian; Lee, Juliet P.

doi:10.1177/0743558410376828

Cited by 33 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…Blunt smoking tends to be over-represented among males, African-Americans, older youths, more recent birth cohorts, and urban residents (Golub et al, 2005; Timberlake, 2013). Prevalence has increased steadily over the past decade, and blunt use has become more widely diffused across racial/ethnic groups (Soller and Lee, 2010; Timberlake, 2013). Cigars used for blunts and ‘blunt wraps’ (i.e., cigar rolling papers) are widely available in tobacco shops, convenience stores, and liquor stores (Lipperman-Kreda et al, 2014; Sifaneck et al, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cannabis problem experiences among users of the tobacco–cannabis combination known as blunts

Fairman

2015

Drug and Alcohol Dependence

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Background In most of the world, cannabis smokers mix loose tobacco inside a joint, pipe, spliff, or cone. More recently, a ‘blunt’ formulation combines these two drugs by inserting cannabis into a hollowed-out cigar. Epidemiological research linking simultaneous use of these two drugs and the development of cannabis use disorders (CUD) remains unclear. This study estimates associations linking blunt smoking with levels and subtypes of cannabis problems. Methods Cross-sectional data on 27,767 past-year cannabis users were analyzed from the US National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) conducted from 2009–2012. Ten self-reported items of DSM-IV CUD features elicited a single latent trait of cannabis problem (CP) severity, which was then regressed on past-year blunt smoking and past-month blunt frequency measures within the context of a conceptual model. Differential item functioning (DIF) analysis evaluated potential bias in CP feature response by blunt smoking history. Results Past-year blunt smoking was associated with higher CP severity compared to cannabis users who did not smoke blunts. Days of blunt smoking in the past month also predicted higher CP severity than less frequent blunt use. Those smoking blunts experienced more subjectively felt tolerance and having spent more time obtaining or using cannabis, but were less likely to experience other problems, even at the same level of CP severity. Conclusions These findings suggest smoking blunts might promote the development of problematic cannabis use. Responses to cannabis problems differed by history of blunt smoking, possibly implicating an influence of tobacco on measurement of cannabis use disorders.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cannabis problem experiences among users of the tobacco–cannabis combination known as blunts

Fairman

2015

Drug and Alcohol Dependence

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“…In that drug argot reflects shared values and beliefs, argot may indicate the boundaries between subcultures associated with different drugs. So, for example, the term “crackhead” when used by blunts smokers expresses their collective disdain for use of crack cocaine and its users (Furst et al, 1999; Soller & Lee, 2010) iv .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies have shown that Southeast Asian American youths in the East San Francisco Bay area participate in hip-hop subculture, but that their participation is nuanced by specific aspects of their unique social status as second-generation Asian Americans and children of refugees as well as by their relationships to other youths in their neighborhoods (Lee & Kirkpatrick, 2005; Soller & Lee, 2010). Use of Ecstasy by Bay Area Southeast Asian youths may be an expression of their identification with and participation in a local youth cultural form known as “hyphy.” Hyphy is a subgenre of hip-hop music that was developed in the Bay Area in the 1990s by recording artists including E40 and the late Mac Dre (Lee et al, 2011).…”

Section: Youth Drug Use and Local Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Elsewhere we have described drug use patterns and constructs in this population, including Ecstasy (Lee, Battle, & Soller, 2011), marijuana (Lee & Kirkpatrick, 2005; Soller & Lee, 2010) and alcohol (Lee, Battle, Antin, & Lipton, 2008). Rather than investigating associations between ethnic or social-cultural identity and drug use, here we use our data to explore how our respondents’ understandings may problematize the ways in which scientists and other observers describe and characterize drugs.…”

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confidence: 99%

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How Do Researchers Categorize Drugs, and How Do Drug Users Categorize Them?

Lee¹,

Antin²

2011

Contemporary Drug Problems

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This paper considers drug classifications and terms widely used in US survey research, and compares these to classifications and terms used by drug users. We begin with a critical review of drug classification systems, including those oriented to public policy and health services as well as survey research. We then consider the results of a pile sort exercise we conducted with 76 respondents within a mixed method study of Southeast Asian American adolescent and young adult drug users in urban Northern California, USA. We included the pile sort to clarify how respondents handled specific terms which we understood to be related to Ecstasy and methamphetamines. Results of the pile sort were analyzed using graphic layout algorithms as well as content analysis of pile labels. Similar to the national surveys, our respondents consistently differentiated Ecstasy terms from methamphetamine terms. We found high agreement between some specific local terms (thizz, crystal) and popular drug terms, while other terms thought to be mainstream (crank, speed) were reported as unknown by many respondents. In labeling piles, respondents created taxonomies based on consumption method (in particular, pill) as well as the social contexts of use. We conclude by proposing that divergences between drug terms utilized in survey research and those used by drug users may reflect two opposing tendencies: the tendency of survey researchers to utilize standardized language that constructs persons and experiences as relatively homogeneous, varying only within measurable degrees, and the tendency of drug users to utilize specialized language (argot) that reflects their understandings of their experiences as hybrid and diverse. The findings problematize the validity of drug terms and categories used in survey research. KeywordsDrug classification; qualitative methods; Ecstasy; methamphetamine; drug classification; Asian American Although there has been much important research on many aspects of drug use, surprisingly little consensus exists among researchers on how to categorize, and thus how to measure the use of, drugs. Tobacco and alcohol are commonly measured separately and as singular substances, therefore threats to construct validity of standardized measures are less of a problem i . "Illicit drug use," however, presents more theoretical problems. "Illicit drugs" comprise many different substances which may also be conceptualized differently acrossCorrespondence to: Juliet P. Lee, Prevention Research Center, 1995 University Avenue #450, Berkeley CA 94704 USA, Tel: 510-883-5772; Fax: 510-644-0594; jlee@prev.org. i Notable exceptions are questions, for regulatory purposes, of what constitutes an alcoholic beverage (Osborn, 2011; World Health Organization, 2004) or what constitutes a certain type of alcoholic beverage, e.g. beer versus spirits (Mosher, 2009), and questions regarding certain types of tobacco products, e.g. whether mentholated cigarettes should be included in a US ban on flavored cigarettes (Mitka, 2009 Attempts to...

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“…These partners had worked together in various configurations for ten years prior to the project, including federally-funded research and intervention projects on the etiology of problematic substance use among U.S. Southeast Asians (15–17), and had a mutual interest in improving the health of Cambodian Americans through research and community engagement. Following these projects we conducted focus groups with key community leaders to assess unmet community behavioral health needs and consider new approaches to address these needs.…”

Section: Objectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving the Health of Cambodian Americans: Grassroots Approaches and Root Causes

Lee¹,

Kirkpatrick²,

Rojas-Cheatham³

et al. 2016

cpr

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Background Cambodian Americans experience great disparities in health compared to other Americans, yet may be underserved by conventional healthcare systems. CBPR is a means to engage underserved communities in health research and programming. We describe results of our efforts to engage the Cambodian grassroots members as well as formal leaders in Oakland, CA. Objectives In addition to a community advisory group, we convened a Community Work Group (CWG), composed of ten grassroots community women of varying ages and backgrounds. The project aimed to leverage the lived experiences of these women and their understandings of health and wellness in identifying specific health issues and developing culturally resonant strategies. Methods The CWG met weekly with staff facilitators using methods for collective analysis including theater, body mapping, and other expressive arts. Results The approach proved logistically challenging, but resulted in novel analyses and strategies. The group identified trauma, along with poor access to education, un- and under-employment, social isolation, and generation gap, together with community violence, as root causes of key behavioral health issues, i.e. alcohol abuse, gambling, prescription drug misuse, and domestic violence. Strategies proposed and implemented by the group and project staff were a community garden, Cambodian New Year’s celebrations, and a museum exhibit on the Cambodian refugee experiences. Conclusions Grassroots community engagement can support projects in identifying social determinants of health and developing the capacities of community members to conduct research and actions to improve health.

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Drug-Intake Methods and Social Identity: The Use of Marijuana in Blunts Among Southeast Asian Adolescents and Emerging Adults

Cited by 33 publications

References 54 publications

Cannabis problem experiences among users of the tobacco–cannabis combination known as blunts

Cannabis problem experiences among users of the tobacco–cannabis combination known as blunts

How Do Researchers Categorize Drugs, and How Do Drug Users Categorize Them?

Improving the Health of Cambodian Americans: Grassroots Approaches and Root Causes

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