The International journal on drug policy
-
Int. J. Drug Policy · Jan 2010
"They're legal so they're safe, right?" What did the legal status of BZP-party pills mean to young people in New Zealand?
The legislation on psychoactive substances has a role to play with regard to shaping social values and influencing the normalisation of drug use. In New Zealand from 2005 to 2008, benzylpiperazine-containing 'legal' party pills (BZP-party pills) were legally available for purchase, subject to controls around a minimum purchase age of 18 years, and prohibitions on free of charge distribution and advertising in certain media. This paper explores what their legal status communicated to young users. ⋯ These data provide a unique insight into the tension between positive and negative harm reduction messages relating to the legal nature of psychoactive drugs and as such begin to fill an information void in this area. The legal status of these 'party pills' conveys mixed messages to young people and whilst being seen as potentially safe and of good quality, this often leads to higher than 'recommended' doses being used. Nevertheless, not breaking the law or having to access BZP-party pills from 'dealers', and being able to discuss their use with their parents are all potentially positive harm reduction issues.
-
Int. J. Drug Policy · Nov 2009
The cocaine and heroin markets in the era of globalisation and drug reduction policies.
Despite the large volume of public effort devoted to restrain drug supply and the growing attention given to drug demand reduction policies, the use of cocaine and heroin remains steady. Furthermore, retail drug prices have fallen significantly in Europe and the US. This puzzling evidence leads us to develop a model aiming at systematically analysing illicit drug markets. ⋯ Law enforcement measures increase the risk premia received by the lower and higher level traffickers. Consequently, trafficking intermediation margins tend to increase. However, globalisation has the opposite effect. It lowers intermediation margins and, then, pushes retail prices down, thereby stimulating consumption. In doing so, globalisation offsets the effects of supply containment policies. Finally, we discuss how the effectiveness of supply containment policies can be enhanced by combining them with demand reduction policies.
-
China's initial response to drug use and HIV was largely ineffective but has improved with recent government endorsement of harm reduction interventions. This paper examines the views of senior key informants inside China who articulated core needs and objectives for the development of a harm reduction advocacy strategy. ⋯ Increased acceptance of harm reduction in China, particularly among public security, implies a new level of optimism towards addressing the HIV epidemic among drug users, and parallels an impressive expansion of harm reduction interventions. Nevertheless, scaling up a response to the ongoing dual epidemic of drug use and HIV remains an enormous challenge. With appropriate technical education and training, ongoing advocacy, and a cohesive, coordinated multi-sectoral effort, the capacity of the government and community to adopt, support and promote measures to reduce HIV and other drug related harm would be markedly strengthened.
-
Int. J. Drug Policy · Jul 2009
Moral regulation and the presumption of guilt in Health Canada's medical cannabis policy and practice.
This paper is a sociological examination of policies and practices in Health Canada's Marihuana Medical Access Division (MMAD) that presume the illicit intentions and inherent "guilt" of medical cannabis users, hampering safe access to a medicine to which many are legally entitled, and raising doubts about this federal programme's overall effectiveness and constitutional legitimacy. Beginning with a brief historical overview of Canada's federal medical cannabis programme, this paper examines the failure of the MMAD to meet the needs of many sick and suffering Canadians through Hunt's [Hunt, A. (1999). Governing morals: A social history of moral regulation. ⋯ The community-based dispensary model of medical cannabis access is a patient-centered "new social movement" that mitigates the stigmatization and moral regulation of their member-clients by creating opportunities for engagement, empowerment and joint knowledge creation. In light of ongoing Charter challenges and patient criticism, the survival of this federal programme will depend on the government's ability to shift away from policies based on the oppression and moral regulation, and towards consequentialist policies that balance harm reduction and benefit maximization. The effectiveness of such an approach is exemplified by the success of the community-based dispensary model which is currently producing more peer-reviewed research and supplying medical cannabis to a far greater number of patients than Health Canada's Marihuana Medical Access Division.
-
Int. J. Drug Policy · May 2009
Social and structural aspects of the overdose risk environment in St. Petersburg, Russia.
While overdose is a common cause of mortality among opioid injectors worldwide, little information exists on opioid overdoses or how context may influence overdose risk in Russia. This study sought to uncover social and structural aspects contributing to fatal overdose risk in St. Petersburg and assess prevention intervention feasibility. ⋯ Local social and structural elements influence risk environments for overdose. Interventions at the community and structural levels to prevent and respond to opioid overdoses are needed for and integral to reducing overdose mortality in St. Petersburg.