Nigerian cannabis users reframed recovery as a process rather than just abstinence
Interviews with 97 cannabis-dependent users in Nigeria revealed that framing recovery as total abstinence made relapse feel like failure, while some participants redefined recovery as a process measured by reduced use and improved well-being.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Participants initially sought treatment hoping for total abstinence and identity repair. When relapse occurred, the abstinence-only framework made them feel they had failed. Some participants reframed recovery as "recovering" rather than "recovered," measuring progress by reduced use and improved overall well-being rather than complete cessation.
Key Numbers
97 participants; ages 21-34; street-involved cannabis users; Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
How They Did This
Qualitative study of 97 current cannabis users aged 21-34 in Uyo, Nigeria, recruited through time-location sampling. In-depth individual interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically.
Why This Research Matters
In many treatment settings, particularly in low-resource countries, abstinence is the only accepted recovery goal. This study gives voice to cannabis users who are finding that harm reduction approaches better match their lived experience and recovery trajectory.
The Bigger Picture
The tension between abstinence-only and harm reduction models of recovery is playing out globally. These Nigerian cannabis users' experiences mirror conversations happening in treatment systems worldwide, suggesting the need for more flexible recovery frameworks.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Street-involved cannabis users in one Nigerian city may not represent all cannabis-dependent individuals. Qualitative design captures depth but not prevalence of views. Cultural context shapes recovery narratives.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would harm reduction-oriented treatment programs improve outcomes in this population?
- ?How do cultural and religious factors in Nigeria influence recovery definitions?
- ?Can treatment systems accommodate both abstinence and reduced-use goals?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 97 participants redefining recovery beyond abstinence in a Nigerian context
- Evidence Grade:
- Rich qualitative data from a hard-to-reach population, but findings are contextual and not generalizable without further research.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2021.
- Original Title:
- Redefining recovery: Accounts of treatment experiences of dependent cannabis users in Nigeria.
- Published In:
- Journal of substance abuse treatment, 125, 108321 (2021)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03376
Evidence Hierarchy
Uses interviews or focus groups to understand experiences in depth.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is abstinence the only path to recovery from cannabis dependence?
Some participants in this study found that redefining recovery as reduced use and improved well-being was more sustainable than an all-or-nothing abstinence model, particularly when relapse disrupted their sense of progress.
Why did the abstinence model create problems?
When recovery was defined solely as abstinence, any relapse felt like total failure. This discouraged participants from continuing to seek help and undermined the genuine progress they had made in reducing use.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03376APA
Nelson, Ediomo-Ubong Ekpo; Essien, Nsidibe Francis. (2021). Redefining recovery: Accounts of treatment experiences of dependent cannabis users in Nigeria.. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 125, 108321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108321
MLA
Nelson, Ediomo-Ubong Ekpo, et al. "Redefining recovery: Accounts of treatment experiences of dependent cannabis users in Nigeria.." Journal of substance abuse treatment, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108321
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Redefining recovery: Accounts of treatment experiences of de..." RTHC-03376. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/nelson-2021-redefining-recovery-accounts-of
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.