The young more likely to view cannabis as not harmful

Younger Singaporeans are more likely to perceive cannabis or weed as not harmful and to have considered using controlled substances or prescription drugs without a prescription than their elders. According to a survey of 1,055 Singapore residents by public opinion company YouGov done in collaboration with The Sunday Times, people aged between 18 and 24 are also more likely to have their views on drugs shaped by social media and pop culture than their elders.

NTU criminologist Olivia Choy said while the perception that marijuana is not harmful may "tip the scales" for someone and start the person on drugs, perception alone is unlikely to be enough to influence a person's behaviour. "We should be cautious not to overstate the influence of these perceptions from the media on criminal behaviour such as drug use," she said. "There are certainly many other factors that influence whether an individual uses drugs, including whether one has peers who also use drugs and biological predispositions towards such behaviour."

Read the article.

Photo: Add Weed on Unsplash