[Construction of illegal drug images and mass media in Japan].
This study attempts to clarify the drug problem of Japan in terms of images of illegal drugs (stimulants, marijuana, and volatile solvents) by comparing (1) different types of drugs and (2) differences between generations. Another objective of this research was to examine influence by the mass media reports with regard to drug incidents which influence upon image formation of illegal drugs among people. In this study 488 males from the city of Osaka were chosen by a random sampling method and a door to door survey was undertaken utilizing a self-administered questionnaire with a partial interview method. It was revealed that as a whole negative images such as "dangerous" and "terrible" were still widely prevailing and positive image such as "fashionable" was much less prevailing. Specially, stimulants were regarded more dangerous compared to marijuana and volatile solvents. In contrary, marijuana was regarded more fashionable compared to stimulants and volatile solvents. Volatile solvents were considered more "intimate" compared to other drugs. With regard to generation differences, it was the youth who possessed more positive images towards marijuana and more intimate feelings about volatile solvents than other generations. Findings show that with regard to news about illegal drug incidents, respondents' appraisal of the news of mass media primarily make significant influence, as compare to mere cognition, on images of illegal drugs. Furthermore, it was revealed that there was likely to result in positive images of illegal drugs due to lack of adequate information. From the aspects of education, it was suggested that dissemination of information at a vast range and maintenance of negative images might become a crucial task.
Fujiwara
M
M
National Institute of Mental Health, NCNP, Chiba, Japan.
Shimizu
S
S
D000328:Adult; D002188:Cannabis; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D008875:Middle Aged; D011639:Public Opinion; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D013287:Illicit Drugs