The link between drug use and HIV/AIDS among young people in ...

In two focus groups it was stated that alcohol was not a drug, the reason given was that alcohol was
generally accepted, widely consumed and had little effect on the body.
“I personally do not believe alcohol is a drug; because it is accepted by society. Because
right now Christmas coming up. Carnival they will excuse you for drinking because of the
time – it’s the culture of society. Alcohol also carry a certain amount of prestige. Because
it make me feel nice.” [males and females, 17-24, in and out of school]
It was also observed that a small contingent indicated that some drugs such as alcohol and marijuana
were good drugs since they had medicinal value, but that it was the abuse of these drugs that was bad.
“For the weed, most time I smoke weed I go just sit down calm and chill out me self and
wait for the healing of the nation. Weed is a good thing you know. E everybody looking at
weed as a bad thing. Weed is a good thing, like it could help asthmas, you could boil it
and drink i., Is how you use the drugs; …but the root of the ganja tree is good for the cold
and other things.” [males, 17-19, out of school]
Effects of drugs on behavior
It was generally stated that there was a tendency for persons who consumed high levels of alcohol to
become violent, lose control of their motor skills and experience short-term memory loss and impaired
judgment.
Marijuana was generally perceived as bringing about a sense of tranquility, relaxation and meditation.
Youths said that visible signs of use included laughter, red eyes and dim vision, darkened lips from
heavy smoking, and short-term memory loss and impaired judgment.
“When you smoke weed, you just cool, real humble. You get high. They talk a whole pack
of stupidness; you laughing, your eyes get red and you seeing little balls and dim. After a
while you don’t know yourself, like your mind making you see and do things, because is
really the mind that been taken control of.” [males and females, 14-19, in and out of
school]
When compared to alcohol, it was reported that under the influence of marijuana one had more selfcontrol
not to engage in violence. However, it was further indicated that if one desired to become
violent, the consumption of marijuana would certainly assist in that behavior.
“As we said when you use drugs you gone. You don’t know yourself, you away, so ah
guess as much you don’t know what you are doing, you high. Your mind is no longer in
control so you do things you did not want to do.” [females and males, 14-16, in school]
Cocaine was indicated as being highly addictive, even from the very first usage, and as a result
persons who were addicted to cocaine had a tendency to engage in criminal acts to get money to
purchase the drug.
Pattern of drug use among youth
Participants indicated that young people in Grenada consumed alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, hemp,
cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin. Although alcohol was reported as commonly used among youth,
there was a general consensus that marijuana was the drug of choice for young persons age 14 and
upwards in Grenada.
“The weed, we smoke it. All of us smoke weed here. Marijuana is one of the most
commonly used ones. Yes there are lots of drug use among the youth especially
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