Abstract Recovery is an established term used to describe positive processes of change concerning problems related to alcohol and other drugs (AOD). The present article investigates first-person experiences of recovery self-identification over time in clients who have completed 12-step programs with a positive outcome (sobriety). The data comprises qualitative interviews with 47 individuals five years

Abstract This article reviews the literature on the association between cannabis use (CU) and psychosocial functioning, operationalized here as academic achievement, economic prospects, social relationships and quality of life. So far, study results have been inconsistent. To clarify whether CU has an impact on psychosocial functioning, this article mainly reviewed prospective and longitudinal studies

Abstract Ireland passed the world’s first blanket ban on new psychoactive substance in 2010. This article traces the historical processes culminating in the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act (2010) through a systematic review of Irish media articles published between 2000 and 2010 (N = 338). The review found that head shops were largely tolerated when they sold cannabis paraphernalia (2000–2008)

Abstract This study describes attorney's attitudes towards substance use, offenders with drug problems and referral for treatment in Nigeria. It is a cross-sectional descriptive survey conducted among 70 attorneys in Benin City, Nigeria. Participants drawn by both convenience sampling and snowballing approach filled a paper questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic data, questions on drug dependence

Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to examine how gender, age and education, regional prevalence of male and female risky drinking and country-level economic gender equality are associated with harms from other people’s drinking. Methods: 24,823 adults in 10 countries were surveyed about harms from drinking by people they know and strangers. Country-level economic gender equality and regional

Abstract In this study we analyze how parents of adult children with drug use problems view the initial stages of identifying their children’s troubles as a severe drug problem. We focus on the parents’ accounts of the discovery process by identifying significant events in the parents’ narratives through ‘the micro-politics of trouble’. The study is based on an analysis of 32 semi-structured interviews

(2021). Editorial DEPP: drug experienced young people in contact with the criminal justice system. Understanding the challenges and working towards solutions. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy: Vol. 28, Special Focus: Drug experienced young people in contact with the Criminal Justice System. Guest editors: Vibeke A. Frank & Sara Rolando, pp. 1-6.

Abstract The aim of this paper is to assess to what extent prohibitive drug policies hamper the management of drug problems from the perspective of young people who have experience with the criminal justice systems (CJS). Qualitative, in-depth interviews were carried out in six European countries (Austria, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the UK) following a common interview guide to obtain comparative

Abstract Substance use recovery homes represent the largest residential, community-based post-treatment option for those with substance use disorders in the United States. It is still unclear what unique factors predict relapse after residents leave such homes. This study presents results of a longitudinal study of 497 residents who departed from 42 Oxford House recovery houses. We hypothesized that

Abstract Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS) are commonly used for their anabolic effects and the potentially detrimental consequences are well documented. Most studies focus on the motivations of increased muscle development and report increased libido as a secondary motivation. This paper aims to explore users’ reports of libido as a motivator for starting and restarting AAS use. This mixed-methods

Abstract While several quantitative studies exist describing the factors associated with maintaining objectives attained by people with addictions during their stay in residential therapeutic centres (RTC), few studies have examined the point of view of the residents themselves on this question. In the present study, qualitative interviews were conducted with 45 residents of an RTC in the Paris area

Abstract Vanessa is a youth-led service promoting road safety at music festivals. We conducted a cross-sectional survey at 23 festivals in Victoria, Australia to investigate alcohol and illicit drug use among attendees aged ≥16 years who visited Vanessa. Participants completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - Consumption (AUDIT-C) and reported recent illicit drug use and intentions to

Abstract Background Take-home naloxone (THN) is provided to non-medically trained people to reverse potential opioid overdoses. There is an increasing range of effective intramuscular (IM) and intranasal (IN) naloxone devices and this paper explores the types preferred by people who use opioids, using consumer behaviour literature to interpret the findings. Methods Data derive from two unconnected

Abstract While previous drug treatment research has focused on the importance of supportive social relationships for recovery from alcohol and drugs, less is known about how this theme relates to compulsory drug treatment. This study analyzes how staff at four compulsory treatment institutions for adult drug users in Sweden rationalize the importance of maintaining contact with concerned significant

Abstract Background There is emerging consensus that older opiate treatment patients have specific health and social care needs and also evidence of a particular stigma associated with opiate maintenance treatment. Yet, very little is known about the stigma experienced by individuals who have been interacting with methadone treatment services over a prolonged period. Aim and Method Conducted in Ireland

Abstract There is increasing recognition and attention towards the patterns of police encounters with citizens. In this study, we examine the determinants of being stopped and questioned by the police among a heterogenous sample of adolescents and young adults, who were either people who use drugs and a comparison group, in three non-metropolitan areas of British Columbia, Canada. We conducted bivariate

Abstract Research into temporal psychology, and in particular its relationship with health behaviors, has grown exponentially in recent years. Accordingly, studies have shown that how individuals think and feel about the past, present, and future, is significantly related to alcohol-use behaviors. This has been shown to be particularly true where studies have applied person-centered analyses rather

Abstract Current data on the prevalence of prior illicit drug use among the prison population in Europe is scarce. The aim of this study is to identify the prevalence of illicit drug use prior to incarceration, as reported by studies conducted in 30 European countries. A comprehensive literature review was conducted from the 5–31 of March 2018 using the databases Cochrane Library, Embase, MEDLINE,

Abstract The present study examines how substance-using women in the street sex trade formulate understandings of pregnancy at the intersections of healthcare, social services, and family systems in ways that reflect internalized dominant cultural assumptions about substance use, motherhood, and the street sex trade. Three primary frameworks emerged with respect to pregnancy-related decision-making

Abstract Background Much of the previous qualitative research on heroin users has focused on the progression and inevitable decline of a heroin using career or the struggles and setbacks of small single groups of heroin users. Much less attention has been paid to the ability of heroin users to successfully integrate heroin use into their broader lifestyles. We build on this literature by offering a

Abstract The present study examines how substance-using women in the street sex trade formulate understandings of pregnancy at the intersections of healthcare, social services, and family systems in ways that reflect internalized dominant cultural assumptions about substance use, motherhood, and the street sex trade. Three primary frameworks emerged with respect to pregnancy-related decision-making

(2021). Risk and substance use: Framing dangerous people and dangerous places Reviewed by: Amy Pennay. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy. Ahead of Print.

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

Abstract Aims Overdoselifesavers.org was created as part of a larger Australian research project investigating impediments to take-home naloxone uptake. The aim of the project was to create a resource to enhance public and professional understandings of take-home naloxone and to counter stigmatising misconceptions about overdose. This article presents the findings of a mixed-method evaluation of Overdoselifesavers

Abstract Fluctuations in motivation to change in persons with substance use disorder (SUD) may lead to their dropping out of treatment. ADHD in SUD persons is known to have a negative effect on motivational processes in general. Residents with comorbid ADHD may therefore experience more fluctuations in motivation during treatment. We assessed the development of motivation to change within the initial

Abstract The concept of cultural competency raises questions about the meaning of culture, difference and professional practice as well as how best to address religious and cultural marginality, epistemologically and practically, within codes of ethical practice. Despite continued policy and research emphasis on delivering culturally competent substance-use services to the Muslim and Arabic speaking

Abstract Policies and approaches addressing image and performance enhancing drug (IPED) use in the gym and fitness context, also known as fitness doping, vary widely by country. Fitness doping, and those who participate in it, maybe met with individual-level strategies ranging from criminal penalties to harm reduction efforts. This research compares two distinct approaches to fitness doping: Sweden’s

Abstract The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is a model utilized to predict human behavior that was used to examine adolescents’ alcohol drinking behavior (onset and frequency of drinking). Longitudinal data collected over a 2 year period from Norwegian junior high school students (N = 1,563) was used. Multilevel structural equation models was used to examine the utility of the TPB to explain variance

Abstract Environmental drug prevention interventions are gaining momentum alongside and in concert with ‘classical’ prevention practices such as school, family and community interventions. The Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) is particularly gaining attention because of its innovative environmental approach and because of its supposed impact on lowering (the onset of) substance use among youth during

Abstract Recovery is now the defining feature of UK drug and alcohol policy. Despite this policy emphasis, little attention has been paid to the lived experience of those in recovery. Instead, research has typically concentrated on treatment populations, which are predominantly male. Consequently, we have little insight into recovery experiences in general, and specifically how they might differ for

Abstract Drug-related deaths have increased significantly in Scotland in recent years, with a much greater percentage increase in deaths among women than among men. We undertook a mixed-methods project to identify explanations for this trend, comprising three parallel methodological strands: (i) an analysis of available routine data, including drug treatment data, death registrations, and surveys of

Abstract This study examined how psychedelics reduced symptoms of racial trauma among black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) subsequent to an experience of racism. A cross-sectional internet-based survey included questions about experiences with racism, mental health symptoms, and acute and enduring psychedelic effects. Changes in mental health were assessed by retrospective report of symptoms

Abstract The United States is in the midst of an epidemic of opioid-related overdose deaths. In response, harm reduction programs commonly distribute the opioid antagonist naloxone directly to PWUD so that they can act as first responders when an overdose occurs. Naloxone reverses respiratory depression and can save the life of a person overdosing on opioids. Little research has been conducted about

Abstract Only a fraction of problematic cannabis users ever seek treatment from specialty addiction services. This gap could be reduced via online brief interventions and self-help resources; however, it is not clear whether cannabis users would be interested in accessing those tools. We examined whether cannabis use, motives for using cannabis, and protective behavioral strategies predicted hypothetical

Abstract Evidence based strategies are needed to enhance the ability of the Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) sector to prevent prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and harms including Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). In Australia FASD prevention research has largely focused on primary care and child development sectors, while little research has been conducted with AOD services providing comprehensive

Abstract An increasing body of evidence shows that informal mutual aid groups benefit those in addiction recovery. However, attention for mutual aid groups in practice and policy varies internationally and is only recently emerging in continental Europe. Existing evidence is mostly limited to studies of Alcoholics Anonymous groups in the United States. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to examine

Abstract Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term covering a range of conditions related to prenatal alcohol exposure. In Sweden, only the most severe of these conditions, Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), is used as a medical diagnosis. The aim of this study was to analyze the Swedish discussion on whether or not FASD conditions (other than FAS) should be actively diagnosed/identified

Abstract People who use illicit substances and experience socioeconomic disadvantage experience poor health as a result of structural vulnerabilities made worse by barriers to health care. In particular, stigma and discrimination often act as a barrier to health care for people who use illicit substances. Lack of respect for persons and judgements based on discrimination are in violation of core ethical

Abstract This four-wave longitudinal study aimed to examine the associations between retrospectively perceived parenting profiles in adolescence and the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD) throughout emerging adulthood. The cohort consisted of 190 young Swiss men who completed retrospective reports of parenting at baseline and a short AUD self-report screening tool at four measurement times (mean

Abstract Drawing on a person-centered approach to recovery from substance use that acknowledges recovery pathways as shaped by people’s personal and social context, the purpose of this study was to compare recovery maintenance of two pathways, self-change and treatment-change. A mixed methods design was employed among 229 respondents [134 self-changers (SCs) and 95 treatment-changers (TCs)], with a

Abstract Drug-related problems are growing in Nigeria. Yet, there is a paucity of research on the motives for using cannabis and its contribution to drug-related problems. Understanding the underlying motives for taking cannabis from users’ perspectives would facilitate the provision of harm reduction policies/interventions. Using normalization framework, semi-structured interviews were conducted with

Abstract Retrospective studies have identified alcohol as a significant risk factor in drownings involving young adults. Few studies have explored this issue, therefore the current contextual understanding of alcohol consumption in aquatic settings is limited. This study used a survey (n = 182) and one-to-one and small group interviews (n = 23) to investigate knowledge and attitudes of United Kingdom

Abstract In North America, the recent increase in opioid-related deaths has highlighted a need to consult people with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) on how to improve treatments, namely in terms of service access and patient retention. The aim of this study is to explore experiential perspectives on how to improve accessibility and retention in OUD treatments. Four focus groups were conducted with a total

Abstract Amphetamine-type-stimulant (ATS) use in Malaysia has surged but the relationship between ATS use and crime remains poorly investigated. Our study sample consisted of 149 self-reported people who use ATS detained for armed, unarmed, and narcotic offences in a centre in Penang, Malaysia. All information was elicited through personal interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire. A multinomial

Abstract Background News media helps set the agenda for public thinking and policy responses to drugs use, by framing substances, substance use and people who use drugs (PWUD) within a ‘drug scare’ narrative. Using the example of ‘monkey dust’, an inconsistently identified set of substituted cathinone psychostimulants, we explored how an emerging drug ‘problem’ was reported in the UK news media, and

Abstract Background Illicit drug use and dependence is a well-established risk factor for self-harm and suicide. The present comparative study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among Iranian women. Methods With a cross-sectional design, a total of 787 Iranian women who reported using illicit drugs and 406 women without drug use history were recruited and invited

Abstract With the recent introduction of recreational marijuana retail stores throughout the United States and other jurisdictions, research is warranted on whether responsible sales practices are implemented. We assessed store practices/policies in the first two US states to legalize recreational marijuana, Colorado and Washington. We surveyed a random sample of store managers (25 per state) and observed

Abstract In this study, we examine differences in alcohol drinking between first- and second-generation non-European immigrant and native-Swedish adolescents. We also examine whether parental and peer attitudes toward alcohol are associated with the acculturation of drinking habits among adolescents with an immigrant background. The study is cross-sectional and based on a school survey conducted in

Abstract Little is known about differences in bystander behavior among people who use drugs, trained and untrained in opioid overdose prevention. We examined three types of recommended overdose response – a 911 call, rescue breathing/CPR, and naloxone administration—among Philadelphia-based, predominantly street-involved women with a history of illicit drug use. The study utilized a convergent mixed

Abstract Background Stigmatising attitudes towards people who use drugs are pervasive amongst the public. We investigated whether public stigma was affected by presentation of a history of adversity, and how substance use was described. Methods A cross-sectional online study using a convenience sample, with a randomised 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design. Participants read one of eight randomly presented vignettes

Abstract Introduction Ecstasy (MDMA) is a popular recreational drug, but its illegal production and trade in the Netherlands have developed into a serious public order and ecological problem which endanger and question the harm reduction approach of the Dutch ecstasy policy. Methods The market characteristics, adverse health effects, risk profile, and link to criminal activity of ecstasy were reviewed

Abstract In the Philippines where an ongoing national drug campaign is implemented, continuous recovery of drug users is compromised especially those coming from low-income communities. However, studies that explore drug relapse and recovery issues in such communities are still scant. As an exemplar case, a critical narrative inquiry was performed to analyze accounts of 17 Filipino male low-income

Abstract Background Effective interventions to curb the growing alcohol use problem in African countries require an understanding of critical factors associated with drinking patterns. Previous studies have examined the contributions of gender, social anxiety and extraversion in alcohol use, but little research exists on the operationalization of drinking patterns as high-risk situations for alcohol

Abstract Background Substance abuse and violence are among the primary health concerns regarding Brazilian adolescents. This study sought to explore the short-term effects of the Strengthening Families Program (SFP 10-14), a preventive program for families with adolescents, adapted to Brazil. Methods A pre-experimental design was used, with a pretest and 10-12-month follow-up evaluation. A qualitative

Abstract Background Medicinal cannabis (MC) has been used extensively throughout history. However, its criminalization in the United States in 1937 spurred the international community to follow suit, including Norway. Despite being reintroduced as a medical treatment in many countries in recent years, the use of MC in Norway is confined to a select few patient groups, and medical specialists must formally

Abstract Primary prevention initiatives specifically designed for youth are an important strategy to combat the opioid crisis in the United States. The developmental period of adolescence is critical for impacting lifetime patterns of opioid misuse. Providing youth with relevant information to guide decisions around initiation of drug use may reduce the most serious opioid related harms. Prevention

Abstract Balanced levels of Psychological Well-Being (PWB) can represent protective factors for human functioning. PWB has not been investigated among young adolescents who practice binge drinking (BD), a popular pattern of alcohol intake, defined as the consumption of five or more alcoholic units in one session. The negative impact of BD on psychophysical health has been extensively studied, but there

Abstract In 2014 methadone as part of Medically Assisted Therapy (MAT) was introduced in Kenyan public health facilities as part of a comprehensive approach to HIV prevention and treatment. This paper explores the transition experiences for people moving from the use of heroin to MAT. The paper reports on a qualitative study conducted in an urban setting in Kenya in 2015. Findings show that transitioning

Abstract Background The engagement of young people has been a neglected area in youth justice and drug policy and practice. This paper explores the concept of ‘engagement’ in relation to drug interventions in custodial and community settings in different European countries. Methods Interviews were undertaken with young people (aged 14–25 years) in contact with the criminal justice system who use illegal

Abstract Amidst growing recognition that people who use drugs are often vulnerable and in need of health-focused support, international conventions and national priorities on personal drug use are changing with emphasis shifting from criminal justice to health narratives. In Scotland, there has been a move toward health-led drug policymaking, and yet little is known about how diversion operates in