Evaluating Religious Bias in Research on Substance Use Among Adolescents: Is Marijuana in the Spotlight for the Wrong Reasons?
Introduction
A recent study examining the impact of religious service attendance on health behaviors among adolescents has sparked an important conversation about potential biases within research, particularly when discussing the relationship between religiosity and substance use. The study focused significantly on marijuana, associating reduced usage rates with frequent religious service attendance, while also briefly addressing other substances like alcohol and tobacco. This has raised concerns: is marijuana's "spotlight" role here truly reflective of the data, or could it be biased by underlying religious ideologies that selectively focus on certain behaviors?
Critique of the Study’s Focus on Marijuana
The disproportionate focus on marijuana as a key outcome in relation to religious service attendance is puzzling. Other substances, like alcohol and tobacco, are known to have severe health impacts and social consequences. Alcohol, for instance, can lead to a wide range of harmful effects, including addiction, liver disease, and risky behavior. Tobacco is associated with long-term, life-threatening diseases such as cancer and respiratory issues. Both are legal, readily accessible, and widely consumed, yet the study’s narrative places marijuana front and center. This emphasis may reflect more than just data; it might suggest an implicit alignment with certain moral or cultural biases, particularly given the controversial and evolving societal stance on marijuana legalization.
Why Alcohol and Tobacco Matter in the Analysis
Alcohol and tobacco use among adolescents is a pressing issue that deserves equal, if not more, attention in public health research. Despite this, studies like the one under discussion often grant these substances less critical analysis when investigating the influence of religiosity. This oversight is problematic for a few reasons:
Widespread Availability and Cultural Acceptance: Alcohol and tobacco are deeply ingrained in various cultures and often associated with social norms. Religious ideologies may selectively emphasize marijuana over these substances, potentially shaping a biased portrayal of “risky behaviors.”
Health Consequences: Research consistently shows that alcohol and tobacco carry significant health risks, often more immediate and severe than those associated with marijuana. Alcohol, in particular, is a major cause of adolescent morbidity and mortality due to accidents, violence, and alcohol poisoning.
Comparative Risks and Legal Standing: The evolving legal status of marijuana versus the established legality of alcohol and tobacco may also influence the study’s focus. However, from a scientific standpoint, any study aiming to understand adolescent behavior should examine substance use broadly, without isolating marijuana or prioritizing it based on cultural or religious pressures.
Addressing Potential Religious Bias
The study mentions that weekly or more frequent attendance at religious services is linked to lower rates of marijuana use and early sexual initiation. But how was this association established? The comparison was made primarily against adolescents who reported "never attending" religious services, a categorization that overlooks the nuances among non-attendees. For instance, non-attendees may lack access to certain community resources, family dynamics, and social networks typically associated with religious involvement. This lack of contextualization risks oversimplifying the data, positioning religious attendance as a “protective factor” without fully examining why non-attenders might have different outcomes.
To reduce such biases, researchers could expand their approach to better capture why certain adolescents do not attend religious services. Some may lack access due to geographical or cultural factors, while others may deliberately avoid organized religion based on personal beliefs. Future studies would benefit from distinguishing between “never attended” and “chose not to attend,” while exploring how different levels of religious involvement correlate with various substance-use patterns. This approach would allow for a more accurate understanding, separating genuine religious influences from external factors that might affect behavior.
Conclusion
While the study does offer insights into potential protective factors associated with religious service attendance, the disproportionate focus on marijuana, coupled with the limited analysis of alcohol and tobacco, raises legitimate concerns about bias. For research in this area to be truly valuable and equitable, it must approach substance use holistically. Religious ideologies, however subtle, should not dictate which substances are considered more “problematic” than others. A more balanced, evidence-based approach to studying substance use behaviors can help ensure that public health recommendations are inclusive and free from underlying bias.
Independent Researcher and writer at Amazon.
Know more: https://linktr.ee/jorgeguerrapiresphd
About Jorge Guerra Pires
Jorge Guerra Pires has been writing and teaching biological systems modeling for beginners since his Ph.D. During his doctoral studies, he launched local courses at the University of L’Aquila, where he completed both his master's and Ph.D. Since then, he has maintained a YouTube channel, blogs, and other forms of knowledge dissemination and discussion, with a strong online focus.
Jorge Guerra Pires is passionate about biology, mathematics, programming, and anything that challenges his intellect. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of L’Aquila/Italy, recognized in Brazil by the University of São Paulo (USP) in bioinformatics. He has completed two post-doctorates, one at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) and the other at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz). Additionally, he earned a dual master's degree from the University of L’Aquila and the Technical University of Gdansk/Poland. His undergraduate degree is in Production Engineering from the Federal University of Ouro Preto.
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