Presenters: Tyler Hacking
Authors: Tyler Hacking, Jonathan Cook, Clayton Rawson, Mohammad Islam, Olga Kopp
Faculty Advisor: Olga Kopp
Institution: Utah Valley University
This project focused on cannabis use and its perceived effects on medical conditions, drug use, and financial and academic success. Data was obtained through the use of an online Google Forms survey which was IRB (Institutional Review Board) approved. As a result, we were able to determine that cannabis is perceived to act as the opposite of a gateway drug, leading people away from harder drugs. Survey results reported that roughly 96% of respondents answered either Strongly Disagree or Disagree to whether or not cannabis led them toward hard drugs. Secondly, it was perceived by roughly 26% of respondents that cannabis use resulted in less academic success, and roughly 23% felt that cannabis use resulted in less financial success. Overall, the majority of cannabis users were either neutral, or felt a perceived positive correlation between cannabis and its ability to lead them toward both financial and academic success. Overall, cannabis was not perceived as a gateway drug by users. In addition, cannabis use was perceived by a majority of respondents as increasing their academic and financial success. These data contradict modern stereotypes of cannabis users and questions the validity of the idea that cannabis users use recreationally.