Information sought, information shared: exploring performance and image enhancing drug user-facilitated harm reduction information in online forums

This article is part of a larger investigation looking into recent changes in the demographics of fitness doping and the possible consequences of such changes. Contesting the historical alliance between masculinity and fitness doping, the article focuses on women’s narratives and experiences of fitness doping in a male-dominated open online community called Flashback. The article builds upon a qualitative and netnographic approach to the research. Employing the lens of the potential emergence of a woman-based ethnopharmacological culture, this article investigates the ways in which women talk about and rationalise their use of performance and image enhancing drugs (PEIDs), their potency and potential gendered side-effects. The results show that although fitness doping can be largely understood in terms of hegemonic patterns, women have gained ground in the context of online fitness doping, heralding a changing doping demography and a movement towards a ‘sis science’ ethnopharmacology. Although critiqued by men, the context enables women to freely discuss harm reduction, risks and the potential potencies of various drugs, and to share knowledge that is relevant to female biology and discuss their own experiences, an activity that also makes visible the negotiation of new gender positions.

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This place is like the jungle: discussions about psychoactive substances on a cryptomarket

Drugs and Alcohol Today ◽

10.1108/dat-03-2018-0008 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 250-261

Author(s):

Sara Rolando ◽

Franca Beccaria

Keyword(s):

Harm Reduction ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

Theory Approach ◽

Online Environment ◽

Online Forums ◽

Psychoactive Substances ◽

Content Type ◽

Grounded Theory Approach ◽

Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse dynamics amongst members to better understand in what terms and to what extent marketplace forums can be seen as new forms of harm reduction. Design/methodology/approach This is a qualitative analysis focused on conversations about psychoactive substances on the forum community of AlphaBay Market. A sample consists of 100 online threads. The data, collected in July 2016, were analysed by applying the grounded theory approach with the support of Atlas.ti. Findings Conversations in the marketplace forum focus mostly on the purchase. Concerns and disputes are voiced in a significant proportion of them, and interactions are affected by a climate of distrust where stigmatisation processes can emerge between users of different drug categories. This casts a certain amount of doubt on the thesis that marketplace forums – like online forums – are new forms of harm reduction and peer-led communities. Research limitations/implications The study focuses on only one marketplace forum. Other such forums should be analysed to corroborate its findings. Practical implications Harm reduction interventions in the online environment should take different form according to the forum type, and take the differences and boundaries that separate users of different substances into account. Originality/value Thanks to its infrequently used qualitative approach, the study provides a more thorough understanding of the relationships on marketplace forums.

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From harm reduction to drug user abstinence: a journey in drug treatment policy

Journal of Substance Use ◽

10.3109/14659891.2011.580228 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 179-194 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Neil McKeganey

Keyword(s):

Drug Treatment ◽

Harm Reduction ◽

Drug User ◽

Treatment Policy

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Harm reduction in Italy: the experience of an unsanctioned supervised injection facility run by drug users

Drugs and Alcohol Today ◽

10.1108/dat-03-2018-0011 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 59-71 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sonia Bergamo ◽

Giuseppe Parisi ◽

Paolo Jarre

Keyword(s):

Harm Reduction ◽

Drug User ◽

Drug Users ◽

Legal Status ◽

Professional Staff ◽

Point Of View ◽

Overdose Death ◽

Content Type ◽

Direct Support ◽

Practical Implications

Purpose Efforts to establish harm reduction interventions in Italy have persisted since the mid-1990s. Despite this, no sanctioned SIF has ever been implemented. The purpose of this paper is to provide information about a 10 year unsanctioned drug user-run SIF experience in Italy called Stanzetta. Design/methodology/approach The aim of the paper is to assess how Stanzetta met its objectives. Analysis was conducted compiling narrative accounts from the staff working in the NSP, which is adjacent to the Stanzetta, and conducting a simple frequency analysis of the available statistical data. Findings The Stanzetta unsanctioned SIF has been running for ten years and continues to be vulnerable due to its legal status. Being open 24 h/days has maximised its accessibility, but at the same time, it has encouraged a misuse of the Stanzetta. Although not trained, drug users became self-empowered to run the Stanzetta and to keep it clean, but the hygiene-health aspect is seen as one of the greatest challenges by the NSP professional staff. Over 10 years, not a single overdose death has been recorded. Drug use in the park has shifted from more visible places to the Stanzetta. As a result, the abandoned syringes have diminished in number and those disposed of correctly have increased. Moreover, no complaints from citizens or law enforcement were ever made. The neighbourhood acceptance seems to be the main goal of the peer-run unsanctioned SIF. Research limitations/implications The paper is based on a narrative account from the point of view of the professional staff involved, and results are specific to the context in which the study was conducted. Because of the chosen approach, the research results lack scientific generalisability. A relevant limitation is that no peer was involved in this study. Despite this, the research contributes to the information based on peer-run SIFs and makes a case for the de-medicalisation of SIFs in Europe. Practical implications This paper gives visibility to a long-lasting drug user-run SIF experience that was not made public mostly for an unclear legislative background about SIF in Italy. Social implications Efforts to establish harm reduction interventions in Italy have persisted since the mid-1990s and were undertaken primarily in response to epidemics of HIV infection and overdose (DPA, 2017). Despite this, no sanctioned SIF has ever been implemented. Primarily, this study wants to underline the urgency for an SIF pilot in Italy, and secondly the need to consider de-medicalising these services through direct support for peer-based models. Originality/value The Stanzetta unsanctioned SIF in Italy that has been running for ten years. Despite this, the venue continues to be vulnerable due to its legal status. For this reason, these results were never made public before. The experience showed a good working synergy between NSP professionals and the SIF peers. This model can be considered as a “light” de-medicalisation form to be explored and eventually to be implemented as a pilot SIF in Italy.

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Victimless Crime in Indonesia: Should We Punished Them?

PADJADJARAN Jurnal Ilmu Hukum (Journal of Law) ◽

10.22304/pjih.v6n2.a1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 06 (02) ◽

pp. 216-232

Author(s):

Erika Chandra

Keyword(s):

Drug Abuse ◽

Harm Reduction ◽

Drug User ◽

Criminal Law ◽

Zero Tolerance ◽

Criminal Policy ◽

Correctional Institutions ◽

Tolerance Approach ◽

Problem Drug

Criminal act deserves punishment because it causes harmful to its victim. However, some criminal acts may be considered as victimless crime since the perpetrator is also the victim. They are, for example, drug abuse, gambling, and abortion. In many states, such as Netherlands, victimless crime like drug abuse are no longer considered to be punishable crime since they use harm reduction approach for drug abuse problem. Drug abuse is seen as a health issue, not a criminal law issue. On the contrary, Indonesia still considers victimless crime to be punishable. The Indonesian Penal Code and Narcotics Law, for example, regulate that drug abuse is punishable. Indonesian criminal policy uses zero tolerance approach. Hence, the criminal policy is to eradicate all narcotics offences, including drug abuse. Nevertheless, it is not a solution for the problem drug abuse. Furthermore, the number of Indonesian drug user is increased. The policy has also caused overcrowd in Indonesian correctional institutions. Considering its unique characteristic and contemplating the purpose of punishment itself, punishment for victimless crime should be reconsidered. This article aims to bring perspectives on this matter by using juridical normative method with regulation, comparative, and case study approaches.

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