- Docente: Raimondo Maria Pavarin
- Credits: 8
- SSD: SPS/08
- Language: Italian
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
- Campus: Bologna
- Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Planning and managing of educational intervention in social distress (cod. 9228)
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from Sep 16, 2025 to Nov 13, 2025
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the student:
· Will know the time evolution - of the different representations of the addicted subject and paradigms of reference;
· Will know the nows the theory of normalization and patterns of consumption of marginal consumers and socially integrated ones;
· Will Know the use of psychoactive substances in the minors people and phenomenology of cannabis, cocaine, and alcohol;
· Will Be able to apply this knowledge in prevention projects.
Course contents
The course will offer insights from research activities related to:
1) Self-regulation of cannabis consumption; 2) Cannabis consumption in the “over sixty” population; 3) The cannabis social market, 4) CAnnabis self-production; 5) Crack use in marginalized populations and socially integrated populations; 6) The phenomenology of ketamine; 7) Purple drank; 8) Abuse of opioid drugs; 9) Synthetic opioids and Fentanyl, 10) The risk of overdose death and early warning systems; 11) Suicide and problematic substance use; 12) Stigma and barriers to access to treatments;
Course contents
Introduction - Socially integrated consumers and marginal consumers: new approaches for harm reduction and risk reduction.
One - The evolution of the theoretical framework
1 - Introduction to sociological theories of culture, fashion, deviance, stigma, risk, normalization, social integration, illness and disease
2 - Deviance, pleasure and labeling
3 - The social meaning of substance use and its subculture
4 - The hedonists in the nineties
5- The thesis of normalization
6 - Zimberg and controlled consumption
7 - Marginal and socially integrated substance users
Part Two - The Social Cannabis Market
1– Cannabis health legalization
2– Cannabis culture between stigma and normalization
3– Social supply, purchase, sale and self-production
Three - New targets of consumption
1 - Minors and substance use
2 - Not natives and second generation of migrants
3 -Women and substance use
4 - Phenomenology of alcohol
5 - Phenomenology of cocaine
6 -Phenomenology of heroin
7 - Ketamine
8 - The Purple drank
9 - Harm reduction policies for crack users
Four- New trends
1 - Goods and market
2 - Drug use and economic recession
3 - Socially integrated substance users
4 - The problematic use of illegal substances
5 - The process of alcohol deculturalization
6- Mortality risk for substance users: early warning systems
7 - Synthetic Opioids and Fentanyl
8 - Substance use and suicide risk
Five - Addiction without substances
1 - Gambling
2 - Compulsive shopping
3 - Internet addiction
Six - Research techniques and prevention projects
The use of research in the design of prevention activities
Qauntitative - Research methods and techniques to study the use of psychoactive substances.
Qualitative - Focus group and Nominal Group Technique (NGT)
TEST (SDS, DAST 10, CAGE, Fagerstrom, Fisher, Compulsive Buyng).
Attending students will be offered participation in research activities
Readings/Bibliography
Book - “Il mercato sociale della cannabis. Edonisti, libertari e liberisti” di Pavarin RM CLUEB Bologna 2022
Book - “Il consumo di Crack: teoria, riceca e modelli di intervento” – di Pavarin RM - CLUEB Bologna-under publication
Libro - “Il consumo socialmente integrato di sostanze illegali: danni, precauzioni, regole e mercato” – di Pavarin RM - Francoangeli Milano marzo 2014 (chapter 2 - from page 42 to page 64).
Teaching methods
Lectures
Research activities
Upon request, online lessons will be held for non-attending students or for students who wish to request clarifications.
Assessment methods
The assestment onsists of an interview and aims to verify the achievement of the following learning objectives:
In-depth knowledge of information and theoretical approaches mentioned in the program
Ability to use these approaches and information to analyze the evolution of the phenomenon
Ability to interpret the phenomenon under study.
Ability to apply this knowledge in prevention projects.
The examination was held in the form of oral and provides an assessment of thirty. To support the exam registration is required via bulletin board, in compliance with mandatory deadlines.
Teaching tools
Participation in research activities, both in person and online
Links to further information
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Pavarin_Raimondo_Maria
Office hours
See the website of Raimondo Maria Pavarin
SDGs


This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.