Drugs, habits and social policy最新文献

{"title":"The “public health” approach to illicit drugs: an eradicative drug discourse in a sanitorial disguise?","authors":"Steven Debbaut, Tobias Kammersgaard","doi":"10.1108/dhs-09-2022-0030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/dhs-09-2022-0030","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This study aims to problematize current calls for a “public health” approach to governing illicit drugs and the people who use them.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000It draws on a range of historical sources to describe how drugs became a problem for governments, in order to critically diagnose the present and investigate the origins of current perspectives on drugs.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000It is argued that there are currently two authoritative drug discourses. The first discourse is the dominant one and is eradicative, with blame and punishment as its primary responses. The second discourse is subauthoritative, but growing in importance, and is sanitorial, with care and cure as its primary responses.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000While these two discourses have often been thought of as distinct, this historical exploration demonstrates that the eradicative and sanitorial discourses are both based on similar principles.\u0000","PeriodicalId":72849,"journal":{"name":"Drugs, habits and social policy","volume":"92 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83783772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Challenges, policy and politics in drug checking: reflections of the TEDItorial team","authors":"Nicolas Van der Linden, Raoul Koning, Daan van der Gouwe, Mireia Ventura, F. Measham","doi":"10.1108/dhs-10-2022-0037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/dhs-10-2022-0037","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The purpose of this paper is to present some of the continued resistance and challenges faced by drug checking services (DCS) and review how the existing literature and the contributions to the special issue address them, with a view to making recommendations.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000The existing literature and the contributions to the special issue are reviewed.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Drug checking cannot be equated with quality control. With the appropriate equipment and chemistry staff, DCS can provide quantitative analysis and reliable results. When the product does not match expectations, service users discard the tested substance of concern. To more easily compare the results of different studies and better evaluate drug checking, standardisation of measures is desirable. Uptake of drug checking, notably in festivals, is low and depends in part on the capacity of DCS. Drug checking has added value in monitoring drug markets and is complementary with chemical (forensic) analysis.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This paper interrogates in a relatively comprehensive way the continued resistance to drug checking in light of theoretical and empirical research to derive recommendations that are specific to drug checking and that are addressed to health professionals, researchers and also to policymakers.\u0000","PeriodicalId":72849,"journal":{"name":"Drugs, habits and social policy","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89342447","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Psychoactive substance use and drug checking practices among participants at electronic dance music events in Ukraine","authors":"Vyacheslav Kushakov, Vira Dvoriak, Olga O. Morozova, L. Azbel, Galyna Sergienko","doi":"10.1108/dhs-10-2022-0035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/dhs-10-2022-0035","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no study has previously examined the use of psychoactive substances (PASs) at electronic dance music (EDM) events in Ukraine. Addressing this gap in the research literature, this study aims to: describe the recreational drug scene associated with Ukrainian EDM culture; identify clusters of EDM participants who use PAS, based on their drug use patterns; and assess the uptake of drug checking and investigate associations between drug checking and subsequent drug-related behaviour.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000A series of cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 2021 (N = 1,307) among EDM festival participants in Ukraine. The authors performed cluster analysis to identify distinct profiles of PAS users. Trends in drug checking were analysed based on cross-sectional surveys conducted at one recurring festival in 2018 (N = 99), 2019 (N = 195) and 2021 (N = 237).\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The substances most often used at EDM events were 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (37%), amphetamine (16%), lysergic acid diethylamide (11%) and cocaine (9%). Between 2018 and 2021, the proportion of participants who reported to have ever tested their drugs has increased from 2% to 26% (p < 0.001). Unexpected or inconclusive test results led to a significantly lower chances of drug consumption (p = 0.003). The authors identified three distinct clusters of PAS users among the EDM festival attendees in Ukraine.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This study will inform the development of harm reduction interventions tailored to various subgroups of recreational PAS users taking into account gender-specific patterns of use suggested by the authors’ cluster analysis. Increased availability of drug checking is crucial to reduce the risks of drug-related harm associated with the consumption of mis-sold, mislabeled and/or adulterated substances.\u0000","PeriodicalId":72849,"journal":{"name":"Drugs, habits and social policy","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88749292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Échele Cabeza as a harm reduction project and activist movement in Colombia","authors":"Mauro Díaz Moreno, Nathalia Alarcón Ayala, Y. Estrada, Vannesa Morris, Julián Quintero","doi":"10.1108/dhs-07-2022-0026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/dhs-07-2022-0026","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The purpose of this paper is to present the results and context of the drug checking service (DCS) performed by the harm reduction project Échele Cabeza (EC) in Colombia.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000Data from several years are presented with a focus on data from 2021. In 2021, data were derived from 2,339 questionnaires filled out by DCS users and a total of 2,868 drug checking test results from samples collected at the fixed-site service in Bogotá and 30 music festivals in 8 cities nationwide.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The tusi phenomenon is gaining strength in Colombia revealing a problem associated with the changing makeup of tusi and, thus, polydrug use. MDMA adulteration and misrepresentations have increased in comparison to 2019. There is an increasing number of people who want to use the DCS in Colombia, which is encouraging but also exposes the limitations of the drug checking methods available to EC.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This paper offers the first publication of the pioneering drug checking organization EC in Latin America.\u0000","PeriodicalId":72849,"journal":{"name":"Drugs, habits and social policy","volume":"68 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77723252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Size matters: comparing the MDMA content and weight of ecstasy tablets submitted to European drug checking services in 2012–2021","authors":"Ruben Q Vrolijk, F. Measham, Adrià Quesada, Anton Luf, Dominique Schori, Sarah Radley, D. Acreman, Josie Smith, Marko Verdenik, Daniel Martins, Mariana Cunha, C. Paulos, Ilaria Fineschi Piccinin, E. Gerace, Alexandra Karden, Raoul Koning, L. Smit‐Rigter, Mireia Ventura","doi":"10.1108/dhs-01-2022-0003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/dhs-01-2022-0003","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The 3,4-methylenedioxymetamphetamine (MDMA) content in ecstasy tablets has increased enormously throughout Europe across the past decade. This study aims to determine whether this is caused by the production of “stronger” tablets (more mg MDMA per mg of tablet), or if tablets have simply been getting larger and heavier (more mg of tablet in total).\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000A data set of 31,716 ecstasy tablets obtained in 2012–2021 by 10 members of the Trans European Drug Information (TEDI) network was analysed.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The MDMA mass fraction in ecstasy tablets has remained virtually unchanged over the past 10 years, with increased MDMA contents being attributed almost exclusively to increased tablet weight. These trends seem to be uniform across Europe, despite varying sampling and analytical techniques being used by the TEDI participants. The study also shows that while tablet weight correlates perfectly with MDMA content on a yearly basis, wide variations in the MDMA mass fraction make such relations irrelevant for determining the MDMA content of individual tablets.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000These results provide new opportunities for harm reduction, given that size is a tangible and apparently accurate characteristic to emphasise that one tablet does not simply equate to one dose. This is particularly useful for harm reduction services without the resources for in-house quantification of large numbers of ecstasy tablets, although the results of this study also show that chemical analysis remains crucial for accurate personalised harm reduction.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000The findings are both new and pertinent, providing a novel insight into the market dynamics of ecstasy tablet production at a transnational level.\u0000","PeriodicalId":72849,"journal":{"name":"Drugs, habits and social policy","volume":"49 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86069954","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Who uses drug checking services? Assessing uptake and outcomes at English festivals in 2018","authors":"F. Measham, H. Simmons","doi":"10.1108/dhs-02-2022-0008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/dhs-02-2022-0008","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This study aims to assess service user characteristics, uptake and outcomes for drug checking services offered to over 250,000 English festival-goers in summer 2018 and to compare findings with earlier years, wider festival-goers and the general population.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000A total of 2,672 substances of concern were submitted by the public and tested by chemists in mobile laboratories on 24 show days at seven festivals. Results were embedded in 2,043 individually tailored brief interventions (BI) delivered by health professionals to 4,240 service users. Comparative data were collected through anonymous self-report surveys with 1,291 respondents at five of the same festivals.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Three percent of drug-using festival-goers received BI, 95% of whom had not previously accessed health services regarding their alcohol or other drug use. Drug checking service users were significantly more likely to be younger, male and past month polydrug users with a wider range of drugs consumed in the last month compared with the general festival population. For samples matching purchase intent, nearly half intended to reduce dosage, with younger and female service users significantly more likely to reduce dosage. For substances identified as other than expected, nearly two thirds disposed of them.\u0000\u0000\u0000Social implications\u0000Festivals are potential sites to deliver innovative health interventions and to monitor their outcomes, reduce the risk of poisoning and overdose, and facilitate access to follow-up support services.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This study suggests that there is value in event-based services that provide risk reduction communications directly to young adults engaged in higher risk drug use compared with wider event and general populations.\u0000","PeriodicalId":72849,"journal":{"name":"Drugs, habits and social policy","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88676722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drug use patterns, harm reduction strategies and use of drug checking services in boom festival patrons","authors":"Helena Valente, Daniel Martins, Marta Pinto, J. Fernandes, M. Barratt","doi":"10.1108/dhs-01-2022-0004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/dhs-01-2022-0004","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000Recent studies have shown that people who attend electronic dance music events and use drug checking services (DCS) are a predominantly white male, highly educated middle-class population. However, there is still a lack of data beyond sociodemographic characteristics that must be addressed. This paper aims to describe the drug use patterns and protective behavior strategies (PBS) used by testers and nontesters at Boom Festival 2018 and analyze the relationship between these behaviors and the decision to use the DCS.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000This is an exploratory research based on a cross-sectional design using baseline data collected at the Boom Festival from testers (N = 343) and nontesters (N = 115).\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Nontesters presented, in general, slightly higher frequencies of use for most drugs, whereas testers tended to adopt PBS more frequently. Moreover, testers planned their drug use more often than nontesters and set more limits on the amount of drugs they used in one session. Both of these behaviors work as predictors for using the DCS.\u0000\u0000\u0000Practical implications\u0000Our data suggest that DCS might not be easily accessible to all people who use drugs, reaching almost exclusively highly educated people that already apply several harm reduction strategies. Actions should be taken to promote service accessibility.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to compare the demographics, drug use and PBS adoption of DCS users with nonusers who attended the same festival.\u0000","PeriodicalId":72849,"journal":{"name":"Drugs, habits and social policy","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87249507","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Availability of different types of alcohol and amount of intake and next-day hangover – a naturalistic randomized controlled pilot trial","authors":"Ole Grummedal, Marie Strøm Zangenberg, J. Tolstrup","doi":"10.1108/dhs-03-2022-0015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/dhs-03-2022-0015","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The authors tested the hypothesis that having a high availability of different types of alcoholic drinks (beer, wine or spirits) as compared to being confined to one type only associate with a higher alcohol intake and worse next-day hangover.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000This randomized controlled pilot trial took place over one evening and included 35 individuals randomized into two groups. Individuals in the mixed-type group could consume any type of alcoholic drink (beer, wine, cocktails), whereas individuals in the single-type group were to adhere to one type of own choice. Information on number of drinks was obtained continuously during the trial. Hangover symptoms were reported by participants using the Acute Hangover Severity Scale (AHSS) at 8:00, 12:00 and 16:30 the following day. Median regression was used to assess number of drinks and maximum AHSS in two groups.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Participants in the mixed-type group consumed significantly more drinks compared to the single-type group (10.9 vs 5.7, p < 0.001). The maximal AHSS score the day after drinking was higher in the mixed-type group as compared to the single-type group (median 4.3 vs 2.6, p < 0.0001).\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This study suggests that having a variety of alcoholic drinks available associates to a higher alcohol intake and more severe hangover as compared to having to adhere to one type only. Larger studies are warranted to validate findings.\u0000","PeriodicalId":72849,"journal":{"name":"Drugs, habits and social policy","volume":"33 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73573520","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drug checking in New Zealand: the 2020 and 2021 drug and substance checking legislation acts","authors":"F. Hutton","doi":"10.1108/dhs-03-2022-0016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/dhs-03-2022-0016","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This paper aims to explore the context and implications of the New Zealand Drug and Substance Drug Checking Acts 2020 and 2021.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000This discussion provides a description of legislative changes about drug checking in the New Zealand context, alongside a critical analysis of the interlinked factors surrounding these important pieces of legislation.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The legalisation of drug checking is an important harm reduction development in the New Zealand context, although overregulation of licensing requirements should be avoided, as well as overly punitive responses to peer service providers who may have criminal convictions. The new regulations should also ensure that innovation around new technology or products tested is not stifled.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000New Zealand is the only country to introduce permanent national legislation to legalise drug checking, and as such analysis of the legislation is of interest to the international community.\u0000","PeriodicalId":72849,"journal":{"name":"Drugs, habits and social policy","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80119578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"What is drug checking, anyway?","authors":"M. Barratt, F. Measham","doi":"10.1108/dhs-01-2022-0007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/dhs-01-2022-0007","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The recent influx of interest in and the changing status of drug checking has led us to reconsider some fundamental questions about drug checking. This commentary aims to define drug checking. It proceeds in three parts: terminology, definitions and programmes that are excluded from the definition of drug checking that still have value for harm reduction.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000To inform the commentary, an informal review of pertinent publications on the topic was conducted to extract relevant definitions and terminology.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Drug checking services (DCS) have five necessary features: (1) aim of reducing harm; (2) analyse samples directly from the public; (3) return results to the service user; (4) involve information exchange between service user and DCS; and (5) conduct a tailored intervention with the service user. Variable features include the populations served, setting, analysis methods, immediacy of results, nature of intervention, levels of engagement with other stakeholder groups, funding models, legal status and staff skillsets. Programmes that are not DCS but have some similarities to DCS include non-publicly accessible testing of drugs as well as testing of bodily fluids where results may inform drug alerts.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000Drug checking remains a legally, politically and commercially sensitive health service. Reflecting on the history and evolution of drug checking, both as a term and as a harm reduction service, helps provide clarity in terms of what drug checking is and what it is not. This facilitates more effective framing of evaluations, in terms of what DCS aim to do and achieve.\u0000","PeriodicalId":72849,"journal":{"name":"Drugs, habits and social policy","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86447858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}