As part of the first qualitative-based research on the life-course of methamphetamine users in Aotearoa/New Zealand, this paper analyses the life domains of school, friendship and work. Through application of interactional theory, this paper increases understanding of the situational contexts and interpersonal factors that influence drug use trajectories and the transition from one life domain to another by identifying the patterns within each domain and the influence school, friendship and work exerts on drug use and, conversely, how drug use impacts on school, friendship and work. The analysis discovered 20 commonly shared adverse experiences that hindered educational and employment success and contributed to drug use, including: negative school transitions, significant turning point events, weak commitment to school, poor school attitude and performance, low academic achievement, low school and work ambition, low parental expectations, and high levels of mental health issues, delinquency, delinquent peer involvement, bullying victimisation, work victimisation, unstable careers and illegal economic activities. Specifically, it was common for interviewees to ‘track backwards’ in high school. This study highlights the importance of the educational domain for altering drug use trajectories, especially high school.

作为第一个基于定性的关于甲基苯丙胺使用者在新西兰的生活过程的研究的一部分，本文分析了学校，友谊和工作的生活领域。通过运用相互作用理论，本文通过识别每个领域的模式以及学校，友谊和工作对毒品使用的影响，从而加深了对影响毒品使用轨迹以及从一个生活领域过渡到另一个生活领域的情境和人际因素的理解。相反，吸毒如何影响学校，友谊和工作。该分析发现了20种常见的不良经历，这些不良经历阻碍了教育和就业的成功，并助长了吸毒，包括：负面的学校过渡，重大转折事件，对学校的承诺不力，不良的学校态度和表现，低学业成绩，低学业和工作抱负，较低的父母期望以及高水平的心理健康问题，违法行为，同龄人犯罪，欺凌受害，工作受害，不稳定的职业和非法经济活动。具体来说，在高中时，受访者通常会“往后追溯”。这项研究强调了教育领域对于改变毒品使用轨迹，特别是高中的重要性。