Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2021.541
CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSONS REGISTRATED DUE TO CANNABINOID ABUSE IN CROATIA - DO WE HAVE ENOUGH EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION?
Dora Milakovic
orcid.org/0000-0001-9956-4874
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Danijela Stimac Grbic
orcid.org/0000-0002-7699-8036
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia ;Croatian Institute of Public Health. Zagreb, Croatia
Maja Valentic
orcid.org/0000-0002-1160-5027
; Croatian Institute of Public Health. Zagreb, Croatia
Gorka Vuletic
orcid.org/0000-0002-6804-6860
; University of Osijek, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Osijek, Croatia
Ivan Pavic Simetin
; Croatian Institute of Public Health. Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Background: It is known that cannabis increases mood, decreases anxiety and causes mild euphoria, but also it can cause
serious mental diseases. Previous studies showed harmful effects of cannabis and the aim of this study is to show characteristics of
persons registrated because of cannabinoids abuse in Croatia in the period 2008-2018 and show effectiveness of interventions using
statistic methods.
Subjects and methods: Research data were collected based on the national Registry of Treated Psychoactive Drug Abusers in
period 2008 to 2018 and included 10 533 registrated persons. Statistical analysis was performed by chi-square test and binary
logistic regression.
Results: Results showed that men and very young people took cannabinoids more often than women and older people. There was
a changing trend of registrated people in a ten-year period. The most commonly used intervention of obligatory healthcare treatment
is consultation, but the difference between apstinents and people with unchanged status . The most people
are referred by repressive mechanism and they are more likely to have apstinent status compared to unrepressive source of referral,
with one exception - referred by the family. The highest probability of abstinence have those referred by the center for social welfare.
Conclusions: Registrated people were mostly referred by repressive way, which makes question of its efficiency and prevention
of long term addiction, because system like that more likely stigmatizes and punishes young people, opposite to giving support and
help.
Keywords
cannabis; interventions; law regulations; obligatory healthcare treatment
Hrčak ID:
269098
URI
Publication date:
21.12.2021.
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