International Journal of Drug Policy最新文献

{"title":"Exploring how an e-cigarette intervention influenced tobacco smoking behaviour in people accessing homelessness services: Findings from the SCeTCH trial process evaluation","authors":"Allison Ford ,&nbsp;Lauren McMillan ,&nbsp;Kirstie Soar ,&nbsp;Francesca Pesola ,&nbsp;Caitlin Notley ,&nbsp;Rachel Brown ,&nbsp;Emma Ward ,&nbsp;Bethany Gardner ,&nbsp;Anna Varley ,&nbsp;Charlotte Mair ,&nbsp;Jessica Lennon ,&nbsp;Janine Brierley ,&nbsp;Amy Edwards ,&nbsp;Danielle Mitchell ,&nbsp;Debbie Robson ,&nbsp;Peter Hajek ,&nbsp;Allan Tyler ,&nbsp;Steve Parrott ,&nbsp;Jinshuo Li ,&nbsp;Linda Bauld ,&nbsp;Sharon Cox","doi":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104901","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104901","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Smoking prevalence among people experiencing homelessness is high. This study explored the factors which influenced potential smoking abstinence among participants receiving an e-cigarette (EC) intervention within the Smoking Cessation Trial in Centres for Homelessness (SCeTCH) across Great Britian.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Using the Capability Opportunity Motivation – Behaviour (COM-B) model, hypothesised and emerging mediators were explored quantitatively via measures in baseline and follow-up questionnaires (n=239) and qualitatively via interviews with homelessness centre staff (n=16) and participants (n=31) who received an EC starter pack and 4-week e-liquid supply. We purposively sampled 8 centres for interviews, representing varied regions and participant vaping/smoking and sociodemographic status. Quantitative measures were analysed descriptively. Qualitative data were analysed thematically. Data from the two approaches were mapped onto the COM-B for combined analysis and reporting.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>After receiving the intervention, participants demonstrated high capability to use EC and appreciation of EC for harm reduction. Some participants reported dissatisfaction with vaping. Opportunity for behaviour change was strengthened by perceived acceptability to vape and social support beyond the centre but hindered by a smoking culture and perceived lack of staff support. Motivation was enhanced by EC efficacy belief, pride from cutting down, and financial benefits of vaping, but negatively impacted by challenging personal circumstances.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>For people accessing homelessness support centres, smoking abstinence remains challenging. More intensive support and a variety of approaches to support smoking cessation, particularly those which address the psychosocial factors which hinder smoking abstinence, may be required. Future research should focus on how this can be achieved.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48364,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Drug Policy","volume":"143 ","pages":"Article 104901"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144564032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Changing Trends in Nonmedical Gabapentin Use Among a Cohort of Rural Appalachian People Who Use Drugs: A Longitudinal Study Over the Time Period of Scheduling Changes in Kentucky","authors":"KaraLynne Cook ,&nbsp;Jennifer R. Havens ,&nbsp;Svetla Slavova ,&nbsp;Katherine Thompson ,&nbsp;April M. Young ,&nbsp;Rachel A. Vickers-Smith","doi":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104904","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104904","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Recently, nonmedical gabapentin (Neurontin) use has increased in the United States, leading to its classification as schedule V substance in Kentucky in 2017. This paper examines patterns in nonmedical gabapentin (Neurontin) use in people who use drugs (PWUD) over the time of scheduling changes.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Longitudinal data (2008–2020) from the Social Networks among Appalachian People (SNAP) study were analyzed. SNAP participants (<em>n</em> = 503) met criteria of being ≥ 18 years old, residing in Appalachian Kentucky, and reporting recent nonmedical prescription opioid, methamphetamine, cocaine, or heroin use. A mixed-effects logistic regression model assessed changes in nonmedical gabapentin (Neurontin) use over time. Independent variables included baseline demographics and time-varying measures of age, disability status, insurance, and recent nonmedical substance use. Changes in gabapentin (Neurontin) sourcing before and after scheduling were assessed using chi-square and McNemar’s tests.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Nonmedical gabapentin (Neurontin) use increased significantly (aOR = 3.51, 95 % CI: 2.91–4.24), from 0 % in 2008 to 56 % in 2020. By 2020, gabapentin (Neurontin) use exceeded that of prescription opioids. Before scheduling, most (55 %) participants obtained gabapentin (Neurontin) from regulated sources; afterward, this dropped to one-third (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001). A within-person analysis confirmed a significant decline in regulated sources (<em>p</em> = 0.01).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Nonmedical gabapentin (Neurontin) use continued to rise post-scheduling, with sources shifting from regulated to unregulated. These findings highlight potential unintended consequences of scheduling policies on access and distribution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48364,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Drug Policy","volume":"143 ","pages":"Article 104904"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144517379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Standard THC units as a unit of measurement: differences & complementarity with other THC metrics","authors":"Valentina Lorenzetti ,&nbsp;Dave Hammond ,&nbsp;Shea Wood ,&nbsp;Robert Gabrys ,&nbsp;Tom P Freeman","doi":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104891","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104891","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":48364,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Drug Policy","volume":"143 ","pages":"Article 104891"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144517380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Changing trends in safer opioid supply uptake, dose and hydromorphone volume in Ontario: A population-based cross-sectional study","authors":"Felix Xu ,&nbsp;Tianru Wang ,&nbsp;Gillian Kolla ,&nbsp;Tonya Campbell ,&nbsp;Tyler Watts ,&nbsp;Shaleesa Ledlie ,&nbsp;Dalen Koncz ,&nbsp;Mina Tadrous ,&nbsp;Tara Gomes","doi":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104905","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104905","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Safer opioid supply involves prescribed pharmaceutical opioids as alternatives to unregulated drug supply for people at high-risk of opioid toxicity. In Canada, this is primarily achieved through prescribing immediate-release hydromorphone, often combined with methadone. This study evaluated safer opioid supply prescribing in Ontario, Canada.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a population-based repeated cross-sectional study to analyze monthly trends in immediate-release hydromorphone prescribing for safer opioid supply, dosing patterns, and proportion of oral hydromorphone dispensed for safer opioid supply in Ontario from 2016 to 2023. We used Joinpoint regression to identify changes in uptake and dosing, and summarized safer opioid supply recipient characteristics in 2023.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Monthly safer opioid supply participation was low before January 2019 (range 0.18 -0.47 per 100,000), before slowly rising (+0.09 per 100,000 monthly), until June 2020 when it rapidly increased (+0.54 per 100,000, monthly). In 2023, among 2730 safer opioid supply recipients, 62.3 % were male (mean age, 42 years). During the study period, mean immediate-release hydromorphone doses for safer opioid supply also rose, with notable accelerations occurring between October 2018 and December 2019, and again between April 2020 and January 2021. By December 2023, mean daily immediate-release hydromorphone doses reached 172 mg, and safer opioid supply programs accounted for 22.5 % of all oral hydromorphone dispensed in Ontario.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>An accelerating number of safer opioid supply recipients over time, coupled with rising immediate-release hydromorphone doses likely reflects efforts to meet the needs of people who use drugs in the context of an increasingly potent unregulated opioid supply, particularly as this supply changed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48364,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Drug Policy","volume":"143 ","pages":"Article 104905"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144510915","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Alcohol Retail Lobbying: A comparative analysis of profit and not-for-profit alcohol retail peak body written submissions to Australian parliamentary inquiries","authors":"Claire Wilkinson ,&nbsp;Michala Kowalski","doi":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104900","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104900","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Aims</h3><div>The alcohol, tobacco and gambling industries are notorious for lobbying against increased taxation and public-health focused regulations. These actions are often attributed to the commercial structure of these industries. Here, we examine whether a not-for-profit alcohol retail industry does the same.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>We sampled ‘matched’ written submissions from the peak bodies representing Australia’s key not-for-profit and for-profit alcohol retail sectors (licensed clubs and hotels respectively) to alcohol-related parliamentary inquiries from 2009 to 2021 (11 inquiries; 22 submissions). We analysed submissions using content and thematic analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>There was a very high degree of overlap in positions of the state and territory divisions of Clubs Australia and the Australian Hotel Association. Peak bodies representing both clubs and hotels lobbied for favourable market conditions and generally opposed measures that would limit their access to the retail market, such as limiting advertising and reducing venue access. Justifications for peak body positions centred around themes of ‘community’, ‘belonging’, and ‘good business’. In general, peak bodies for hotels used the language of ‘business’, while peak bodies for clubs argued from a place of ‘community’.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Australia's not-for-profit alcohol retail sector differs from the for-profit sector in their utilisation of the proceeds from alcohol sales. However, retail structure did not affect acceptance of health and safety measures when those impinge on revenues. Retail structure alone may not be sufficient to motivate ‘healthy’ trading behaviour in the absence of a robust regulatory system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48364,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Drug Policy","volume":"143 ","pages":"Article 104900"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144510990","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors influencing the acceptability of hepatitis C screening among people with experience of incarceration in Quebec, Canada: A qualitative descriptive study guided by the Theoretical Domains Framework","authors":"Andrea Mambro ,&nbsp;Guillaume Fontaine ,&nbsp;David Ortiz-Paredes ,&nbsp;Sameh Mortazhejri ,&nbsp;Camille Dussault ,&nbsp;Joseph Cox ,&nbsp;Justin Presseau ,&nbsp;Nadine Kronfli","doi":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104890","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104890","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>For hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination to occur in carceral settings, opt-out screening on admission, the first step in the HCV care cascade, is recommended. As screening strategies in Quebec provincial prisons vary, we aimed to identify factors influencing the acceptability of HCV screening among people with experience of incarceration (PWEI).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A theory-based qualitative descriptive study was used to conduct semi-structured interviews. Interview guides and analyses were guided by the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Directed content analysis was used to identify domains within the TDF reflecting barriers and facilitators to HCV screening.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Nineteen interviews were conducted from January-December 2022. Most (58 %) participants identified as cisgender men, and the median age was 48 years. <em>Social influences</em> was the most frequently coded domain indicating the importance of peer networks in influencing HCV screening uptake. This was followed by <em>Environmental context and resources</em>, underscoring the prison environment’s role as both a barrier and facilitator to HCV screening, and <em>Beliefs about consequences</em>, pointing to perceived outcomes of a positive test, underpinned by a lack of knowledge, stigma, and fear/anxiety, on HCV screening uptake.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The TDF was useful in identifying factors associated with the acceptability of HCV screening among PWEI. Future interventions should seek to leverage peer networks, integrate point-of-care HCV testing, and provide whole-of-sector education and wrap-around services to better support PWEI and contribute to broader efforts to eliminate HCV among incarcerated populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48364,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Drug Policy","volume":"143 ","pages":"Article 104890"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144480614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A decentralized point of service triple prevention and treatment model for hepatitis B, C and HIV in people who inject drugs in South Africa","authors":"Elaine Saayman ,&nbsp;Vanessa B Hechter ,&nbsp;Nozipho S Sishwili ,&nbsp;Mark W. Sonderup","doi":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104894","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104894","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Background&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The burden of viral hepatitis and HIV in sub-Saharan Africa is substantial with an estimated 64.7 million living with hepatitis B virus (HBV), 8 million with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and 20.8 million people living with HIV infection. HBV is endemic in South Africa. People who inject drugs (PWID) are disproportionately burdened with HIV and HCV infection. In Pretoria, South Africa, an HCV infection epicenter for PWID, co-infection with HIV is steadily increasing. Given this growing burden, we established and evaluated a decentralized triple prevention and management intervention for PWID.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;A point of service model recruited PWID who reside in Pretoria through convenience sampling and were screened utilizing point-of-care testing for HBsAg (Determine™), anti-HCV and anti-HIV (OraQuick®). The presence of HCV-viraemia was confirmed using an onsite GeneXpert-IV® (Cepheid) PCR system. In those eligible, tenofovir/emtricitabine combination was offered as HIV PrEP and initiated in those who were HBsAg positive and HIV negative. If HIV positive or HIV-HBV co-infected, tenofovir/lamivudine/dolutegravir combination as ART was commenced. In those with confirmed HCV-viraemia, 12-weeks of sofosbuvir and daclatasvir as HCV DAA therapy were initiated in those with HCV mono-infection, or with HIV and/or HBV co-infection, if stable on treatment.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;A total of &lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 213 participants, 86 % (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 184) male with median age of 34 [IQR 31–37] years, were recruited. Of these, 82 % (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 174) were anti-HCV positive, of which 62 % (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 131) were HIV-HCV co-infected. Most results were available within 2 [1–3] hours of initial screening with 90 % (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 138) viraemic. Of these, 73 % (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 100) met eligibility criteria, with 95 % (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 95) initiating DAA therapy. Of these 84 % (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 80) completed 12 weeks of therapy and 86 % (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 48) achieved a sustained virological response (SVR). All 7 %, (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 14) HBsAg positive participants were initiated on appropriate therapy. HBV-vaccine were administered to 86 % (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 172) of HBsAg screen negative participants. HIV was diagnosed in 70 % (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 150) and 92 % (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 138) were initiated on ART, 75 % (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 67) were retained for 6-months, and of those, at 12-months 81 % (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 21) were virally suppressed. A higher PrEP uptake and 12-week retention was observed for those on DAA therapy. Our approach simplified treatment algorithms, employed task sharing, and use of point-of-care technology to enable single-visit interventions and reduce input costs.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusion&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;A comprehensive, simplified and decentralized point of service triple disease prevention and management intervention model demonstrates a feasible approach to improve access for PWID in South Africa to viral hepatitis and HIV care.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;d","PeriodicalId":48364,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Drug Policy","volume":"143 ","pages":"Article 104894"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144491818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"“It makes all the sense in the world”: A qualitative evaluation of patient perspectives on implementation outcomes of a peer-facilitated integrated infectious disease and substance use care model","authors":"Annice Brown ,&nbsp;Sharon M. Kelly ,&nbsp;Tracy Agee ,&nbsp;Jeffrey Hsu ,&nbsp;Nicholas Schweizer ,&nbsp;Geetanjali Chander ,&nbsp;Larry W. Chang ,&nbsp;Sheree Schwartz ,&nbsp;Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia","doi":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104883","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104883","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Integration of substance use disorder (SUD) care into infectious disease care settings has potential to address high rates of SUD among people with infectious diseases. An understanding of patient perspectives is crucial to optimizing care integration models.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>RESTORE is a low-threshold infectious disease/SUD care integration model incorporating clinician training and support for SUD care provision and peer support for patient engagement implemented in an outpatient infectious disease clinic in Baltimore, Maryland. Guided by the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework, in-depth interviews were completed with participants currently engaged (<em>n</em> = 10) and disengaged (<em>n</em> = 10) from RESTORE. Using a grounded theory approach, themes were synthesized to evaluate reach, effectiveness, maintenance, acceptability, and appropriateness of RESTORE from patients’ perspectives.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>RESTORE participants described a range of experiences and barriers to engaging in SUD treatment prior to RESTORE. Participants' perceptions of effectiveness with RESTORE included observed changes in substance use, mental health, and overall quality of life for many, but not all. Sustained impact of RESTORE engagement on participant outcomes also varied. Acceptability and appropriateness of integrated infectious disease and SUD treatment, RESTORE team care coordination, and peer coaching for self-efficacy in SUD recovery were key mechanisms perceived to impact effectiveness.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>A peer-facilitated integrated infectious disease/SUD care model was regarded as acceptable, appropriate, and effective in improving outcomes for patients with SUD accessing infectious disease care. Additional strategies are needed to optimize outcomes across the spectrum of patients with infectious disease and SUD.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48364,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Drug Policy","volume":"143 ","pages":"Article 104883"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144480615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Is drug-use stigma a breach of human rights law?: Insights from Australia","authors":"Sean Mulcahy ,&nbsp;Kate Seear ,&nbsp;Carla Treloar","doi":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104902","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104902","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Whilst international drug policy increasingly recognises the need to address drug-use stigma, there is limited consideration of how drug-use stigma can be addressed through legal frameworks. This commentary considers the relationship between drug-use stigma and human rights law that prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. In doing so, this commentary examines a landmark Australian coronial case that raised the possibility that stigma may constitute a form of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment and therefore is unlawful due to its incompatibility with human rights law. This framing carries potential implications for the legality of stigma in Australia and other jurisdictions that prohibit torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. Human rights frameworks could underpin legal claims against stigmatising treatment of people who use drugs. Establishing a sound legal basis for the claim that drug-use stigma is unlawful could also compel legal authorities, including courts and legislatures, to adopt legal decisions and statutes that do not stigmatise people who use drugs and thusly move away from the criminalisation and carceralisation of drug use. Further evolution and testing of these arguments are needed to harness the possibilities of Australian and international law to address drug-use stigma.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48364,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Drug Policy","volume":"143 ","pages":"Article 104902"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144364629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sharing drug checking results in a Canadian setting: a multi-site analysis","authors":"Joshua Bird ,&nbsp;Samuel Tobias ,&nbsp;Cameron Grant ,&nbsp;Mark Lysyshyn ,&nbsp;Kenneth Tupper ,&nbsp;Evan Wood ,&nbsp;Thomas Kerr ,&nbsp;Lianping Ti","doi":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104903","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104903","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Drug checking services (DCS) have been implemented as a harm reduction measure to address high rates of illicit drug morbidity and mortality. In addition to reducing individual-level risk, there is also potential for DCS users to increase community level awareness of drug market conditions through sharing of drug checking results. However, little is known about the patterns of information sharing among people who use DCS.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Data were derived from a cross-sectional study conducted at 22 community harm reduction sites offering DCS across British Columbia (BC) between March 2021 and July 2024. Two variable selection methods – backwards stepwise selection and elastic net regularization – were used to fit models which explored the relationships between select socio-demographic characteristics, drug use patterns and experiences with drug checking with the main outcome measure: sharing drug checking results.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>516 participants were included in the study (34 % women, median age 42); 274 (53 %) reported that they shared their drug checking results. Factors significantly and positively associated with sharing results in multivariable logistic regression analysis using both selection methods included: drug dealing, using DCS more than once, stable employment and white ethnicity. Among participants who reported they shared their drug checking results, 66 % reported sharing results with friends and family and 28 % reported sharing results with their drug dealer.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study revealed that over half the study sample shared their drug checking results with others, with results sharing being positively associated with recent drug dealing, frequent DCS utilisation, employment and ethnicity. Drug checking results were most often shared with friends, family and drug dealers. These findings extend the evidence base of DCS as a harm reduction tool by demonstrating how engagement with DCS facilitates information dissemination amongst drug market actors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48364,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Drug Policy","volume":"143 ","pages":"Article 104903"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144364631","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}