Abstract
Introduction
From proceeding of the ministry of public health’s declaration about defining narcotic
name in category 5, B.E. 2565 and the ministry of public health’s declaration about controlled
herbs (cannabis), B.E. 2565, these affected to any extract from cannabis or hemp are not
classified to narcotic category 5 according to the Narcotic Code, the citizens can cultivate,
purchase and freely possess. There is cannabis sales and various products widely which affects
to users’ health, especially children and youth users. It also affects to social peace besides
using cannabis for medical way by “safe space” model that is the necessary thoughts which
brings to prevention and reduction of violent narcotic problems in community by setting the
creative activity field for family, relatives and neighbors in order to make participating in
activities and leading to narcotic problems reduction.
The major objectives of Community-based model development for cannabis abuse
prevention are 1) to improve and empower the latency in community for setting the cannabis
abuse problem and effects preventing field. 2) to develop knowledge and make model field
from acting community-based model for cannabis abuse prevention. 3) to develop finding
solution of cannabis abuse problems by using creative methods for Thai community. 4) to
develop proposals to participatory public policy either local class and national class. The
minor objective of Community-based model development for cannabis abuse prevention is
to extend to development scales to other narcotics which also have problems in local class
during setting developing goals.
Procedure
This community-based model development for cannabis abuse prevention project
used the collaborative action research process and has the field goal in community-based
model development for cannabis abuse prevention. The researchers selected 4 village spaces/
communities such as Bangkok (the city community), Ratchaburi province (the ethnic
community in frontier space), Sakon Nakorn province (the semi-city community) and Lamphun
province (the countryside path community). There were communities as a following volunteer
contextually and doing study either quantity and quality which has the population and
example group are the community leader and the target citizens on the area such as the
community / village leader, the public health volunteer, the village/ community referee, the
director/ the agent of the health promotion hospital/ public health centre, the patient who
got cannabis effects, youths on the area and also the agriculturist as the cannabis grower/
generator.
The result
The cannabis situation on the area
From investigating the 600 households and 1,830 example cases on 4 regions such as
Bangkok, Ratchaburi, Sakon Nakhon and Lamphun province, we found that there were using
cannabis in the household 41.2 percents, cultivating cannabis in households 13.7 percents.
The number of cannabises growing in household was 1 plant to maximum 12 plants growing.
The reasons of household cannabis cultivating were using as mixing cancer medicine which
boiling to be liquid, cultivating in the big basket behind their house, cultivating for flower sale
to customer who making purchase for rolling cigarette product and also cultivating for beauty
because they just looked it like one of the flower plants.
From investigating 1,830 example cases who had alcoholic behaviour, cigarette
smoking and cannabis using found that there were alcohol drinkers in 29.2 percents, cigarette
users in 23 percent, ever used cannabis users in 23.3 percents and users who experienced on
cannabis a year ago in 89.7 percents. When we analyzed on the users’ detail about cannabis
usage classifieds by sexual and age group showed that using cannabis mixed on food was the
highest rate 14.09 percents; 58.5 percents was male and 41.5 was female, the next way was
drinking tea with mixed cannabis 7.59 percents; 47.5 percents was male and 52.5 percents was
female, using cannabis by cigarette rolling in 100 cases 5.46 percents; 85 percents was male
and 15 percents was female and using cannabis by marijuana hookah 1.42 percents; 92.3
percents mostly was male. The highest rate of cannabis usage was mixing up food for
consuming which was in the same period time of freedom cannabis policy that they can use
it.
From a-year-ago used cannabis users showed that ages ranged from 15-87 years, the
average age was 46.7 years (SD=16.0) and the under 4 years cannabis using on 58.7 percents
or we can imply that they just lately started using cannabis and they were under 2-year-ago
cannabis users which is higher than 1 of 4 or 26.9 percents. There was given information by
237 of cases about cannabis effects, we found that the 34.59 percents had hypersomnia
symptoms, addicting to any sweets 21.51 percents, dizzy symptoms on 13.92 percents, having
xerostomia 13.92 percents, having Hyperventilation symptoms on 8.43 percents, being
frustrated on 3.79 percents, having pink eye symptoms on 2.10 percents and 1.68 percent was
having high blood pressure symptoms. Furthermore, there was the report from the Bangkok
area about dizzy symptoms occurring to the people nearby from cannabis smoker.
Creative activity in the area
From surveying both quantity and quality data through group discussing, these lead to
design the rules for safe cannabis using, effects protection from cannabis using and activities
with latency, promoting and protecting cannabis using problem in the contextual area. The
community start doing creative activity in the area for people latency promoting in knowledge,
health and relationship which lead community improve steadily with cooperation on
problems protecting in their community including narcotics and cannabis abuse. Each
communities proceed activity such as promoting health by doing sport, youth latency
promoting in various dimensions, making knowledge about narcotics, being the leader,
knowing online media and making online creative medias. There are also activities promoting
local tradition which lead to mental health care by these creative activities such as 1)
community discovering 2) the latency promoting for youth camp 3) Thai nail dance for
depression safety 4) the project of promoting sport skills and physical health in every age 5)
creating online social media skills on YouTube (being YouTuber)
Community charter
There are details appearing in the community charter for controlling and cannabis
abuse prevention following important details such as specification, limitation, prohibition and
supporting which has limitation on using, producing and cannabis sale only. There is also other
narcotics or abuse behaviour. Furthermore, there is duty or responsibility setting and
performing guideline through community understanding following details below;
1) Specify role or duty for controlling, cultivating amount check and seeking for
behaviour controlling to people in the community especially youths which are
supported creatively.
2) Limit the amount of cannabis cultivating in each household for 3-8 units surveying
every 3 months. Cut off when the limit is over.
3) Stop sales and distribution of cannabis to children and youths, also mixing with
food. Moreover, there is the regulation of alcohol drinking, analgesics which has
fine or breaking of community’s cooperation.
4) Support the cooperation, creative activity management and managing on risk
unlawful assemble area.
From doing creative activity of each community and village rules or community charter
for cannabis abuse preventing, we can proceed successfully by having creativity of community.
People in community need to have the same way of vision which is pointing problem of using
abuse cannabis in the same way and aim at activity profits doing with safe. Also, there is
community rules setting by people and get acceptation together. There is managing creative
activity for people’s need in various sexual and ages leading to long-term managing.
“Start in community, For community, By need community”
