| Abstract [eng] |
The organization of social control of cannabis through legal instruments and public discourse is analysed in this thesis. The main aim of the thesis is to analyse social construction of cannabis control and its manifestations in Lithuanian public discourse on cannabis and cannabis control. The paper discusses historic origins of the control of psychoactive substances and preconditions for the formation of an international drug control system, based on the paradigm of abstinence. This thesis intends to contribute to the development of knowledge about the social construction of drug policy and drug control. Criminalisation of cannabis in Lithuania was analysed on the basis of the theoretical model of social reality of crime, highlighting the influence of segments of the society, that have power to describe the concepts of crimes. Social control of cannabis in Lithuania has a specific dynamics: when there are no outstanding moral entrepreneurs in public discourse on cannabis control. Furthermore, harm reduction approach towards drug problem is slowly gaining more prominence. „Drug scares“ rhetoric is not very typical to Lithuanian cannabis control discourse, but abstinence paradigm is significantly more powerful than the normalisation doctrine. |
