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Holeksa J. "In Sweden you are worthless. In Denmark you get an identity again" - on being perceived and received as a person who uses drugs in different drug policy settings. Harm Reduct J 2024; 21:117. [PMID: 38886692 PMCID: PMC11181536 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-024-01035-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Policies to address substance use differ greatly between settings, where goals may range from zero-tolerance to harm reduction. Different approaches impact formats of care, policing, and even interpersonal interactions, and may play a role in the labelling and stigmatization of people who use drugs (PWUD). Where Sweden has a more restrictive policy, aiming to have a society free from drugs, Denmark has embraced harm reduction principles. The aim of this study was to explore PWUDs' experiences of interpersonal interactions, policing, and service formats in the two countries. METHODS The data consists of 17 qualitative semi-structured interviews with Swedish PWUD who have been in both Sweden and Denmark. Recruitment took place at harm reduction sites in both countries, and through snowball sampling. RESULTS Participants reflected on how they were perceived by those in public spaces, and received by care systems and personnel. In public settings in Sweden, participants felt they were ignored, rendered invisible, and lost their humanity. In Denmark, they were perceived and acknowledged, valued as people. This was simultaneously linked to being embodied by the availability of differing service offerings and policing practices, which solidified their "right to be out" in public. Reflecting on their reception in the treatment system, strict formatting in Sweden caused participants to feel that an identity was projected upon them, limiting their opportunities or growth of new facets of identity. Care relations in Denmark fostered more opportunity for autonomy and trust. CONCLUSION A zero-tolerance policy and associated public discourses could solidify and universalize stigmatizing categorizations as a central feature of PWUD identity and reception from those around them, exacerbating social exclusion. Conversely, harm reduction-centered policies fostered positive interactions between individuals with care providers, public, and police, which may promote inclusion, empowerment, and wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Holeksa
- Department of Social Work, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Nordenskiöldsgatan 1, Malmö, 211 19, Sweden.
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Høj SB, Minoyan N, Zang G, Larney S, Bruneau J. Gender, sexual orientation identity, and initiation of amphetamine injecting among people who inject drugs: Examination of an expanding drug era in Montreal, Canada, 2011-19. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 251:110956. [PMID: 37716286 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amphetamine injection is expanding in North America and has been associated with male homosexuality among people who inject drugs (PWID). Applying subcultural evolution theory, we examined overall and gender-stratified trends in amphetamine injection and assessed sexual orientation as a gender-specific predictor of initiation among PWID in Montreal, Canada. METHODS Data were from HEPCO, an open prospective cohort of PWID. Gender and sexual orientation were self-identified at enrolment. Interviewer-administered questionnaires at three-monthly (HCV RNA-negative participants) or yearly (RNA-positive) intervals captured past three-month amphetamine injection and covariates. Annual prevalence and linear trends in amphetamine injection were estimated using GEE. Incidence was computed among naïve individuals and hazard ratios for initiation estimated using gender-stratified, time-varying Cox regression models. RESULTS 803 participants contributed 8096 observations between March 2011 and December 2019. Annual prevalence of amphetamine injecting increased from 3.25% [95%CI: 2.06-4.43%] to 12.7% [9.50-16.0] (trend p<0.001). Bivariate Cox regression models suggested similar and divergent predictors of initiation by gender. Incidence was 3.27 per 100 person-years [95%CI: 2.51-4.18] among heterosexual men, 7.18 [3.50-13.2] among gay/bisexual men, 1.93 [0.78-4.02] among heterosexual women and 5.30 [1.69-12.8] among gay/bisexual women. Among men, gay/bisexual identity doubled risk of initiation after adjusting for age, ethnicity, calendar year (aHR 2.16 [1.07-4.36]) and additional covariates (2.56 [1.24-5.30]). Among women, evidence for an association with gay/bisexual identity was inconclusive (aHR 2.63 [0.62-11.2]) and sample size precluded further adjustment CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of amphetamine injection among PWID increased four-fold from 2011 to 2019, with elevated risk of initiation in gay and bisexual men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stine Bordier Høj
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, 900 Rue Saint Denis, Montreal H2X 0A9, Canada.
| | - Nanor Minoyan
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, 900 Rue Saint Denis, Montreal H2X 0A9, Canada; Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, 7101 Avenue du Parc, Montreal H3N 1X9, Canada
| | - Geng Zang
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, 900 Rue Saint Denis, Montreal H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Sarah Larney
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, 900 Rue Saint Denis, Montreal H2X 0A9, Canada; Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Édouard-Montpetit, Montreal H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Julie Bruneau
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, 900 Rue Saint Denis, Montreal H2X 0A9, Canada; Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Édouard-Montpetit, Montreal H3T 1J4, Canada.
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Habib DRS, Giorgi S, Curtis B. Role of the media in promoting the dehumanization of people who use drugs. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2023; 49:371-380. [PMID: 36995266 PMCID: PMC10759778 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2023.2180383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Dehumanization, the perception or treatment of people as subhuman, has been recognized as "endemic" in medicine and contributes to the stigmatization of people who use illegal drugs, in particular. As a result of dehumanization, people who use drugs are subject to systematically biased policies, long-lasting stigma, and suboptimal healthcare. One major contributor to the public opinion of drugs and people who use them is the media, whose coverage of these topics consistently uses negative imagery and language. This narrative review of the literature and American media on the dehumanization of illegal drugs and the people who use them provides a perspective on the components of dehumanization in each case and explores the consequences of dehumanization on health, law, and society. Drawing from language and images from American news outlets, anti-drug campaigns, and academic research, we recommend a shift away from the disingenuous trope of people who use drugs as poor, uneducated, and most likely of color. To this end, positive media portrayals and the humanization of people who use drugs can help form a common identity, engender empathy, and ultimately improve health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Roy Sadek Habib
- Technology and Translational Research Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
- School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Salvatore Giorgi
- Technology and Translational Research Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brenda Curtis
- Technology and Translational Research Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Scott R. Methamphetamine dependence in Australia-why is 'ice' (crystal meth) so addictive? PSYCHIATRY, PSYCHOLOGY, AND LAW : AN INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF THE AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION OF PSYCHIATRY, PSYCHOLOGY AND LAW 2023; 31:671-704. [PMID: 39118784 PMCID: PMC11305059 DOI: 10.1080/13218719.2023.2206870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Australia has one of the highest rates in the world of the use of the crystalline form of methamphetamine, a highly addictive stimulant that is often associated with a chronic, relapsing dependency. Methamphetamine use is associated with both acquisitive and violent offending, which cause substantial personal and societal costs. Whilst the short-term euphoria and stimulation provide a positive reinforcement to methamphetamine use, the aversive states of withdrawing from methamphetamine and the associated craving, which may last up to five weeks into abstinence, underlie the negative reinforcement to continued methamphetamine use. Although many methamphetamine-dependent users experience high levels of psychological distress, it is likely that less than half engage with treatment or support services, and current intervention and treatment programmes have high discontinuation rates. Stigma and discrimination, even from paramedics and health clinicians, are prominent barriers to methamphetamine-dependent users accessing treatment in Australia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russ Scott
- West Moreton Prison Mental Health Service, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Nguyen Thu T, Dinh TTT, Nguyen Bich D, Hoffman K, Nguyen Thu H, Edsall A, Bart G, Korthuis PT, Le Minh G. Stigma as a barrier to integrated substance use and HIV care in Vietnam: A qualitative examination of patient and provider perspectives. J Ethn Subst Abuse 2022; 23:182-197. [PMID: 35635379 PMCID: PMC9708927 DOI: 10.1080/15332640.2022.2080785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Integration of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and HIV care can increase antiretroviral therapy coverage among people with opioid use disorder (OUD). However, implementation of integrated treatment models remains limited. Stigma towards people with OUD poses a barrier to initiation of, and adherence to, HIV treatment. We sought to understand the extent of stigma towards SUD and HIV among people with OUD in Vietnam, and the effect of stigma on integrated OUD and HIV treatment services utilization. Between 2013 and 2015, we conducted in-depth interviews with 43 patients and 43 providers at 7 methadone clinics and 8 HIV clinics across 4 provinces in Vietnam. We used thematic analysis with a mixed deductive and inductive approach at the semantic level to analyze key topics. Two main themes were identified: (1) Confidentiality concerns about HIV status make patients reluctant to receive integrated care at HIV clinics, given the requirements for daily buprenorphine dosing at HIV clinics. (2) Provider stigma existed mostly toward people with OUD and seemed to center on the belief that substance use causes a deterioration in one's morals, and was most frequently manifested in the form of providers' apprehensive approach towards patients. Concerns regarding stigmatization may cause patients to feel reluctant to receive treatment for both OUD and HIV at a single integrated clinic. Interventions to reduce stigma at the clinic and policy levels may thus serve to improve initiation of and adherence to integrated care.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kim Hoffman
- Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | | | | | - Gavin Bart
- Hennepin Healthcare and University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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Trang NT, Jauffret-Roustide M, Giang LM, Visier L. "I'm not like others": stigma navigation by people who inject drugs in Vietnam. DRUGS (ABINGDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 29:85-94. [PMID: 35399201 PMCID: PMC8993137 DOI: 10.1080/09687637.2021.1874875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Background People who inject drugs are subjected to great stigmatization in many parts of the world. How they deal with stigma is closely linked to how stigma means to them. Understanding the strategies individuals employ to cope with these negative attitudes and what resources they mobilize in this process gives useful insights for clinical work and policy development. Methods We conducted 12 months of field observation in 2017 and 2018 and 54 in-depth interviews with people who inject drugs in Haiphong, Vietnam. Grounded theory underpinned our sampling and data analysis. Results The strategies participants used to manage stigma were both information and tension management. Many participants not only concealed their drug use but actively cultivated a pro-social image based on Vietnamese cultural virtues such as selflessness, hard work or harmonious living with others. Participants withdrew from social relationships to distance themselves from the stereotype of a money-begging drug user. They used techniques of neutralization to emphasize their good character and reframe their drug-related issues in a different light in order to negotiate their social status with their interlocutors. Conclusion People who inject drugs endorse the same social values and aspirations as nonusers. A good support structure and resources could help them to cope more effectively with stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen Thu Trang
- Centre for Research and Training on Substance Abuse – HIV, Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam; Doctoral School of Law and Political Sciences, Montpellier University, France
| | - Marie Jauffret-Roustide
- Centre of Medicine, Sciences, Health, Mental Health and Health Policy (CERMES 3) (Inserm U988/CNRS UMR 8211/EHESS/Université Paris Descartes), Paris, France
| | - Le Minh Giang
- Centre for Research and Training on Substance Abuse – HIV, Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam
| | - Laurent Visier
- Doctoral School of Law and Political Sciences, Montpellier University, France
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Couto E Cruz C, Salom C, Parsell C, Dietze P, Burns L, Alati R. Social domains of discrimination against people who inject drugs: Links with health and wellbeing. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2020; 77:102620. [PMID: 31931474 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.102620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 11/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
AIMS People who inject drugs frequently experience discrimination. However, little is known about how discrimination experienced in different social domains is linked to health and wellbeing. DESIGN We used data collected in 2016 from the Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS), an Australian survey of people who inject drugs. We used a modified version of the Discrimination Scale (DISC-12) to assess discriminatory behaviours in diverse social domains, including public institutions, neighbours, family and friends. We used the Kessler-10 scale, the Personal Wellbeing Index and specific items from the IDRS questionnaire to assess participants' health and wellbeing. FINDINGS Sixty three percent of participants who responded to the discrimination module included in the IDRS 2016 (N = 796) reported ever having experienced discrimination due to their injecting drug use and 53% reported having experienced discrimination in the past month. Discrimination in all social domains analysed was linked with poor health and wellbeing, except for housing. Self-reported mental health problems and poorer general health were most frequently associated with discrimination. Participants who experienced discrimination from friends were three times more likely to report mental health problems (AOR=3.0, CI95=1.5-6.0). CONCLUSIONS There are significant associations between the domains in which discrimination takes place and the health and wellbeing of people who inject drugs. Our findings highlighted the importance of assessing the social domains of discrimination in relation to mental health. Further research needs to assess not just whether a group or individual is discriminated against, but rather how they are likely to perceive this discrimination and how this experience can affect their life as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Couto E Cruz
- University of Queensland, Institute for Social Science Research, 80 Meiers Road, Indooroopilly, QLD 4068, Australia.
| | - Caroline Salom
- University of Queensland, Institute for Social Science Research, 80 Meiers Road, Indooroopilly, QLD 4068, Australia
| | - Cameron Parsell
- University of Queensland, Institute for Social Science Research, 80 Meiers Road, Indooroopilly, QLD 4068, Australia
| | - Paul Dietze
- Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Lucinda Burns
- University of New South Wales, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), 22-32 King St, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Rosa Alati
- University of Queensland, Institute for Social Science Research, 80 Meiers Road, Indooroopilly, QLD 4068, Australia
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Webb M, Copes H, Hendricks PS. Narrative identity, rationality, and microdosing classic psychedelics. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2019; 70:33-39. [PMID: 31071597 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2019] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microdosing involves ingesting a small dose of a classic psychedelic (e.g., LSD and psilocybin) at regular intervals for prolonged periods. The practice is said to reduce anxiety, improve mood, and offer several creative and practical benefits to users. Using the narrative identity theoretical framework, our aim was to explore the experiences of those who microdosed classic psychedelics. Specifically, we sought to understand how and why they began microdosing and how they made sense of their actions in the context of their conventional lives. METHODS To understand the experiences of those who microdose classic psychedelics, we rely on data collected from semi-structured interviews with 30 people who had microdosed. RESULTS Participants saw themselves as conventional citizens who microdosed for rational and instrumental purposes. They emphasized the rationality of microdosing by discussing (1) the practicality of their procurement and administration processes, (2) the connection between their microdosing practice and their general awareness in health and wellness, and (3) the benefits of the practice. CONCLUSION Participants described their microdosing in the context of embracing traditional middle-class values. This created social distance between themselves and those who use drugs recreationally. While people who use drugs recreationally typically construct boundaries by distancing themselves from symbolic others (i.e., "crackheads," "meth heads," "junkies"), microdosers constructed boundaries by emphasizing connections to conventional citizens who embrace middle-class values. This connection to conventional citizens allows them to normalize their drug use and facilitates persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Webb
- Department of Sociology, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA, 92521, United States.
| | - Heith Copes
- Department of Criminal Justice, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1201 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL, 35294, United States.
| | - Peter S Hendricks
- Department of Health Behavior, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1665 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL, 35294, United States.
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Couto E Cruz C, Salom CL, Dietze P, Lenton S, Burns L, Alati R. Frequent experience of discrimination among people who inject drugs: Links with health and wellbeing. Drug Alcohol Depend 2018; 190:188-194. [PMID: 30048872 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous research has shown that people who inject drugs (PWID) experience discrimination on a regular basis. This study explores the relationships between discrimination against PWID and health and wellbeing. METHODS Data on discrimination against PWID and their health and wellbeing were drawn from the Illicit Drug Reporting System collected in Australia in 2016. The Personal Wellbeing Index was used to measure wellbeing, and the Kessler-10 scale was used to measure psychological distress. Experience of overdose, injecting related illnesses, diseases, and risky injecting behaviour were also assessed. We fitted multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for socio-demographic, imprisonment history, and drug-related factors. RESULTS Of the 796 participants included in the study, the majority who reported experiencing discrimination were male (65%), heterosexual (89%), and unemployed (89%). Thirty percent of the sample (n = 238) reported they had never experienced discrimination because of their injecting drug use. Seventeen percent of participants had not experienced discrimination in the twelve months prior to the interview, 24% experienced discrimination monthly, 16% experienced discrimination weekly, and 13% experienced discrimination daily or more. Frequent discrimination was associated with increased odds of overdosing, injecting related illnesses and diseases, mental health issues, and poor wellbeing. Among those who reported experiencing discrimination, females and those who identified as Indigenous were found to have poorer health and wellbeing outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlighted that frequent discrimination may lead to worse health and wellbeing among PWID. If our findings are supported by other research, policies aimed at reducing discrimination against PWID may be warranted or improved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Couto E Cruz
- University of Queensland, Institute for Social Science Research, 80 Meiers Road, Indooroopilly, QLD 4068, Australia.
| | - Caroline L Salom
- University of Queensland, Institute for Social Science Research, 80 Meiers Road, Indooroopilly, QLD 4068, Australia.
| | - Paul Dietze
- Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
| | - Simon Lenton
- Curtin University, National Drug Research Institute, 10 Selby St, Shenton Park, WA 6008, Australia.
| | - Lucinda Burns
- University of New South Wales, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), 22-32 King St, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia.
| | - Rosa Alati
- University of Queensland, Institute for Social Science Research, 80 Meiers Road, Indooroopilly, QLD 4068, Australia.
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Copes H, Tchoula W, Kim J, Ragland J. Symbolic perceptions of methamphetamine: Differentiating between ice and shake. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2018; 51:87-94. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2017.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2017] [Revised: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Flynn KC, Hoffer LD. Transitioning illicit drug preferences and emerging user identities in Ohio: The proliferation of methamphetamine use among African Americans. J Ethn Subst Abuse 2017; 18:67-88. [PMID: 28678637 DOI: 10.1080/15332640.2017.1325809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the social dynamics of local methamphetamine markets is critical to improving community health and reducing social costs associated with illicit drug use. We examine a local drug market in Summit County, Ohio, wherein methamphetamine users ascribe themselves different ethnic identities from those long associated with the drug elsewhere in the United States. Qualitative interviews with 52 study participants demonstrate that very poor and homeless White males and females are now using methamphetamine; however, even more surprising is that 31 of the participants identified themselves as poor or homeless, male or female African, Native, biracial, or multiracial Americans. The drug use trajectory of these 31 participants in particular involved a transition from a historical preference for crack to a present one for methamphetamine and, in some cases, a preference for concurrent use of methamphetamine and heroin. Many of these methamphetamine users also emphasized their ethnic identity to distinguish themselves as nonproducers of methamphetamine in comparison to Whites, who are commonly associated with methamphetamine production. Findings appear to suggest an emergent means of identity management resulting from the ethnic diversity of users in this methamphetamine market. These findings may have relevance in other communities with similar demographics and drug markets and may hold important implications for drug treatment, policy-making, and law enforcement professionals' work associated with methamphetamine users, producers, and distributors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lee D Hoffer
- a Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland , Ohio
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12
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Creating visual differences: Methamphetamine users perceptions of anti-meth campaigns. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2017; 39:52-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 08/28/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Chalmers J, Lancaster K, Hughes C. The stigmatisation of 'ice' and under-reporting of meth/amphetamine use in general population surveys: A case study from Australia. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2016; 36:15-24. [PMID: 27450550 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Revised: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Stigmatisation of illicit drug use is known to discourage people from reporting their use of illicit drugs. In the context of Australia's two recent "ice-epidemics" this study examines whether rapid increases in community concern about meth/amphetamine concurrent with increased stigmatising media reporting about meth/amphetamine "epidemics" are associated with increased under-reporting of its use in population surveys. METHODS We examined the relationship between general population trends in self-reported lifetime use of and attitudes towards meth/amphetamine between 2001 and 2013, contextualised against related stimulants and heroin, using five waves of Australia's National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS), alongside trends in print media reporting on meth/amphetamine from 2001 to 2014. RESULTS Analysis of NDSHS data showed significant increases in community concern about meth/amphetamine between 2004 and 2007, and 2010 and 2013 in all birth cohorts and age groups. In both periods self-reported lifetime use of meth/amphetamine fell in many birth cohorts. The falls were only statistically significant in the first period, for birth cohorts from 1961-1963 to 1973-1975. Falls in lifetime use within a cohort from one period to the next are incongruous and we did not observe them in the other drugs considered. Equally, increases in concern were specific to meth/amphetamine. We counted substantial and rapid increase in the number of newspaper reports about meth/amphetamine in both periods, particularly reports including the term 'epidemic'. CONCLUSIONS Rapid increases in the quantum of media reporting stigmatising a drug (through its construction as an 'epidemic') accompanying increased general public concerns about the drug may increase the tendency to under-report lifetime use. This may make it difficult to rely upon household surveys to observe trends in patterns of use and suggests that policy makers, media and others in the AOD sector should avoid stigmatisation of drugs, particularly during periods of heightened concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Chalmers
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Australia, Australia.
| | - Kari Lancaster
- Drug Policy Modelling Program, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Australia, Australia
| | - Caitlin Hughes
- Drug Policy Modelling Program, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Australia, Australia
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