What Meaning Does Cannabis Have For Older Adults Living in Rural Areas?

Primary Objective- Written from the perspective of a liberal reformist of drug law, this thesis employs normalisation as the prime conceptual framework around which the lived experiences of sixteen older adult rurally located cannabis users are framed. In doing so cannabis inception experiences, youthful subcultural affiliations, acquiring the drug in older adulthood, the integration of cannabis into and around daily life and perceptions of prohibition are examined. Design – Sixteen in-depth qualitative interviews were delivered over the telephone to a geographically dispersed participant sample. Findings- Participants were introduced to cannabis by friends during adolescence and young adulthood. However, for some participants, the use of cannabis continued within youthful subcultures. Daily cannabis users spoke of the long-term trust they have placed in their dealers. For less frequent users, social supply was the predominant acquisition route. Participants provided evidence that cannabis was a normalised part of their everyday lives as older adults. However, they remain mindful that their status as a cannabis user could be socially detrimental. For some, cannabis was valued as a substance of self-medication for conditions such as anxiety, and menopause and as an antiemetic during chemotherapy. Without exception, the participants believed that legislative reform in the UK was warranted. Conclusions- Whilst evidence of normalised drug use was evident in the participant's responses, older adult cannabis users from rural areas remain fearful of stigma and harmed social identities. A finding supported elsewhere in the literature (e.g., Hathaway, Comeau and Erickson, 2011 and Sandberg, 2012). Older adult cannabis users both recreational and self-medicators would welcome regulation so that they could benefit from product consistency, ease of availability, and avoid prosecution.