The International journal on drug policy
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Int. J. Drug Policy · Sep 2013
The impact of New Zealand's 2008 prohibition of piperazine-based party pills on young people's substance use: results of a longitudinal, web-based study.
The last decade has seen the emergence of a new phenomenon in recreational substance use with the availability of herbal and synthetic, unregulated, psychoactive drugs in the market place; alongside this, international concern has developed in relation to their use and associated harms. New Zealand (NZ) was one of the first countries to experience this new phenomenon, with products containing chemicals of the piperazine group - mainly benzylpiperazine (BZP) and trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine (TFMPP). In 2008, the NZ Government prohibited these substances, but allowed a 6-month amnesty period for possession. Our study aimed to obtain a measure of change in BZP use over time. ⋯ Following prohibition of piperazine-based party pills, we noted a significant reduction in the proportions of participants using them. The observed increase in the misuse of prescription medicines may relate to their perceived 'quality', or as being less 'illegal' than illicit drugs.
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Int. J. Drug Policy · Sep 2013
The Cedar Project: impacts of policing among young Aboriginal people who use injection and non-injection drugs in British Columbia, Canada.
Policing has profound health implications for people who use illicit drugs. Among Aboriginal communities, distrust of police is common, due partly to legacies of colonial policing. In response to the paucity of research among Aboriginal people who use drugs, this paper aims to: (1) Describe the policing experiences of young Aboriginal people who use drugs; (2) Identify policing activities associated with unsafe injection practices; and (3) Elucidate barriers to positive police relations. ⋯ Policing activities may be impacting the well-being of Aboriginal people who use drugs. Due to focused prosecution of street-level drug dealing, some police may favor enforcement over harm reduction. Positive police engagement and less aggressive policing may enhance perceptions of police among young Aboriginal people who use drugs.
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Int. J. Drug Policy · Sep 2013
Comparative StudyThe OxyContin crisis: problematisation and responsibilisation strategies in addiction, pain, and general medicine journals.
OxyContin(®) (Purdue Pharma, L.P., Stamford, CT) is now widely regarded as a drug of abuse fueling a larger opioid health crisis. While coverage in the North American press about OxyContin overwhelmingly focused upon the problems of related crime and addiction/misuse and the perspectives of law enforcement officials and police, coverage in those fields of medicine most intimately concerned with OxyContin-pain medicine and addiction medicine-was more nuanced. ⋯ The responses of pain medicine and addiction medicine journal articles represent strategic moves to recapture lost credibility, to retain client populations and tools necessary to their jobs, and to claim a seat at the table in responding to the OxyContin crisis.
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Int. J. Drug Policy · Jul 2013
Prevalence and correlates of prescription drug misuse among socially active young adults.
Prescription drug misuse represents an emerging global drug trend. Data indicate that young adults are misusing prescription drugs at high rates. As such, continued surveillance of the patterns of prescription drug misuse among young adults is critical, particularly for those engaged in social scenes known to accommodate drug use. ⋯ This study illustrates the need for health promotion efforts targeting prescription drug misuse among young adults who are highly socially active. Future research should focus on motivations for and factors associated with prescription drug misuse within youth cultures. Further research may provide a fuller sense of how to reduce the impact of prescription drug misuse for nations whose prescription drug problem lags behind that of the U.S.
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Int. J. Drug Policy · Jul 2013
Housing and harm reduction: what is the role of harm reduction in addressing homelessness?
Homelessness and drug use often overlap and the harms of substance use are exacerbated by homelessness. Responding to the twin problems of homelessness and substance use is an important aspect of strategies to end homelessness. The introduction and development of ten year plans to end homelessness in North America heralds a new era of systemic responses to homelessness. ⋯ In this paper, we examine Housing First as an example of the integration of housing and harm reduction and then put forth a community level policy framework to further promote the integration of harm reduction as part of a response to homelessness. Drawing on Rhodes' risk environment framework and current evidence of Housing First and harm reduction, we describe four key policy areas for action: (1) social inclusion policies; (2) adequate and appropriate supply of housing; (3) on demand harm reduction services and supports and (4) systemic and organizational infrastructure. We conclude by identifying areas for future research.