A sociological property of drugs: acceptance of users of alcohol and other drugs among university undergraduates.

Abstract

Two groups of undergraduate students were tested on separate occasions (1972, N = 576; 1975, N = 298) on their social acceptance of drug users. Each responded to questions regarding the users of 7 drugs at 2 of 3 possible levels (nonuse, moderate and high use). The rank order of social acceptance of moderate users was at both times (1) alcohol, (2) nicotine, (3) marihuana, (4) amphetamines, (5) hallucinogens, (6) cocaine, and (7) heroin. Acceptance of marihuana abstainers declined between 1972 and 1975 (rank 3 vs. 5; P < .02), as did acceptance of heavy marihuana users (rank 3 vs. 5; P < .01). In 1975, moderate and heavy heroin users received less acceptance than in 1972. Acceptance of alcohol and nicotine users remained the same in both years at all levels of use. For alcohol, abstainers had a mean acceptance level of 7 in 1972 and 1975, moderate users 1 in both years, and heavy users 5 in 1972 and 3 in 1975. Nonsmokers had a rank of 1 in both years, moderate smokers 2, and heavy smokers 1. Combined with their relatively high general acceptance at the moderate level, the student users of the drugs most established in the general society remained the most accepted by their peers over the time period. Preventive efforts should be directed toward encouraging existing tendencies to reject heavy users and accept moderate users rather than emphasize attitude change.