Writing-up [UK] PhD Research on Drug knowledge and Preference

[ARUResearcher]

In answer to Ksa,

This is British Research, we don't have the same kind of media led culture (CNN) that you are talking about if I'm honest. We have, for example Prof Nutt, who is an advocate of a more rational and evidence based policy towards drugs rather than the traditional fear-mongering. British politics concerning our drug policy is currently in a sea-change with the demand from both the public and our politicians to evaluate a harm-reduction based drugs policy.

I also think your evaluation of the general public is reductionist, I have completed other research into public perception with the general understanding that most people want more education rather than more criminalization. Drugs are no longer a taboo in Britain to the extent they once were, and I would say the cause is the internet. People have a wider access to information, and it is not just those who actively participate on forums. People are able to educate themselves be reading what is written.

But I welcome debate on the subject, it is one that will divide many I am sure and part of the reason I research it.

 

[Tronica]

Drugs are no longer a taboo in Britain to the extent they once were, and I would say the cause is the internet. People have a wider access to information, and it is not just those who actively participate on forums. People are able to educate themselves be reading what is written.

I'm from Australia. I think we are halfway between UK and US on the drugs debate... although parts of the US are ahead of both UK and Australia, e.g. with medicinal cannabis for example.

I'm about to embark on a 4-year post-doc fellowship looking at the challenges and opportunities of the internet for understanding drug policy (focusing on the newer psychoactive substances). So your research and this proposition is very much up my alley I like Charlotte Walsh's article 'Drugs, the Internet, and Change' where she makes this claim. I have another article soon to be published following on from Walsh's (can email/PM people if interested but it's not online yet).

Yet, even though we have access to vast amounts of alternative information on drugs, there is still an inertia on drug policy - at least here in Australia. It is very frustrating! We recently had a parliamentary inquiry into medicinal cannabis and the inquiry recommended a limited form of access to cannabis for this purpose, but that recommendation was entirely rejected by the government.

But I welcome debate on the subject, it is one that will divide many I am sure and part of the reason I research it.

Thanks for engaging on the issue - this is exactly what Drug Studies is for!

 

[ARUResearcher]

Your Post-doc sounds fascinating, and very close to my own research heart. My main interest and what I hope to post-doc on (Once I finish my PhD that is) is drugs education at a university level. Understanding the information sources available and the credibility of the information they have is vital. I would appreciate it if you could PM me a copy of your paper to read?

On another unrelated note I was asked a question the other day whilst in conversation about my research (do researchers ever talk about anything but their own research?)

What I was asked about was the recent adulterations to Ecstasy tablets that occurred over the summer, the ones which were adulterated with PMA/PMMA. The question which was posed was this;

If a person had heard about the previous deaths (as they were widely publicized) why did people continue to take the pills?

There were 25 recorded deaths related to these pills over the summer, and when posed with this question I personally drew a blank, which instantly incited the sociologist in me to then find an appropriate answer. Why would someone take something if they suspected it had been adulterated with either of these substance?

I don't anticipate an answer but I would love to hear theories,

It would just be for my own personal interest/understanding, rather than a research purpose.

 

[JWills20]

Your Post-doc sounds fascinating, and very close to my own research heart. My main interest and what I hope to post-doc on (Once I finish my PhD that is) is drugs education at a university level. Understanding the information sources available and the credibility of the information they have is vital. I would appreciate it if you could PM me a copy of your paper to read?

On another unrelated note I was asked a question the other day whilst in conversation about my research (do researchers ever talk about anything but their own research?)

What I was asked about was the recent adulterations to Ecstasy tablets that occurred over the summer, the ones which were adulterated with PMA/PMMA. The question which was posed was this;

If a person had heard about the previous deaths (as they were widely publicized) why did people continue to take the pills?

There were 25 recorded deaths related to these pills over the summer, and when posed with this question I personally drew a blank, which instantly incited the sociologist in me to then find an appropriate answer. Why would someone take something if they suspected it had been adulterated with either of these substance?

I don't anticipate an answer but I would love to hear theories,

It would just be for my own personal interest/understanding, rather than a research purpose.

My theory would be a simple lack of knowledge. Why are you assuming that every pill-related death was someone who suspected an adulterated pill? I'd say it'd be the absolute opposite. If you're uneducated with pills and MDMA, it's easy to be sucked into the dealers lies about how these are 'the best' you will ever try, regardless of publicity. Couple that with little knowledge about pillreports or test kits and the user really has no idea what they're taking, they're just trusting and hoping. Then when they take the PMMA pill, and it doesn't work like MDMA, the unlucky users probably take more chasing the high. Ultimately resulting in a fatal tragedy because of the drugs horrific body temperature mechanisms.

Publicity about drugs doesn't stop people taking them. Just like laws don't stop those who want to from taking them. When you've had numerous prior, positive experiences it can be very easy to become lax and loose about your drug use. You see a story in the news and you take no notice of it because of all the BS about drugs. Kind of like the 'boy who cried wolf' phenomenon. If only the laws and information provided was factual and followed with people's own experiences and research, perhaps users would listen to the publicity and hype and some lives could be saved.

Just some of my thoughts, as a user of MDMA. Some people dying from the drug would never stop me from taking it, because I know that MDMA itself in recreational doses is perfectly safe, so the stories really hold no relevance to me.

 

[Allein]

Dear Readers of Bluelight,

In a shameless act of self promotion for my surveys and to generate interest and all that, I was just wondering whether you consider MDMA (powder/crystals) as being a separate 'product' from the traditional ecstasy pill?

Just a curious researcher

For me no, most tested and good quality pills contain MDMA or maybe MDEA or similar, crystal MDMA is just the raw product of the synth again as long as it is a quality chemical it is on a par. I've been a long term and extensive user of MDXX in the past and had good and bad of both, I do prefer good quality crystal and it is easier to dose but some of the most intense experiences I've had have been on pills most notably the MDA snowballs of the early 90's.

Crystal is more available now so maybe the quality is more variable, when I was using it was a rarer and more expensive product but almost always very pure,

 

[DieselEstate]

Here, here!

In answer to Ksa,

This is British Research, we don't have the same kind of media led culture (CNN) that you are talking about if I'm honest. We have, for example Prof Nutt, who is an advocate of a more rational and evidence based policy towards drugs rather than the traditional fear-mongering. British politics concerning our drug policy is currently in a sea-change with the demand from both the public and our politicians to evaluate a harm-reduction based drugs policy.

I also think your evaluation of the general public is reductionist, I have completed other research into public perception with the general understanding that most people want more education rather than more criminalization. Drugs are no longer a taboo in Britain to the extent they once were, and I would say the cause is the internet. People have a wider access to information, and it is not just those who actively participate on forums. People are able to educate themselves be reading what is written.

But I welcome debate on the subject, it is one that will divide many I am sure and part of the reason I research it.

So well put. I'm about to participate by completing the questionnaires. I'm a long time user of Bluelight. Finally decided to join as I believe that here in the UK we are in a unique state of flux regarding general opinions and usage of currently illegal drugs, in a way which hasn't previously been experienced in society. I too agree that this is down to the Age of Information - thanks to the internet. Ksa, no offence but, I think your attitude is a little imperious and maybe even a touch judgmental. I also agree that the research Alexandra's undertaking is worthwhile (for the same reasons already mentioned) and that some leeway and credit should be given where it's due. I am definitely not part of some notional drug using elite. I have a smart phone bought for £10 using £20 of my mobile providers reward system ie. I saved up for my phone in order to access the internet safely away from my 3 young children, whom I do not wish to expose to the constant battery of advertising and pornography. I'm an old experienced drug user tired of scoring inconsistent quality at extortionate prices, whilst criminalising myself and my dearly beloved Old Man in the process.
Hope this study helps change.

 

[LegalHighsPhD]

Your Post-doc sounds fascinating, and very close to my own research heart. My main interest and what I hope to post-doc on (Once I finish my PhD that is) is drugs education at a university level. Understanding the information sources available and the credibility of the information they have is vital. I would appreciate it if you could PM me a copy of your paper to read?

On another unrelated note I was asked a question the other day whilst in conversation about my research (do researchers ever talk about anything but their own research?)

What I was asked about was the recent adulterations to Ecstasy tablets that occurred over the summer, the ones which were adulterated with PMA/PMMA. The question which was posed was this;

If a person had heard about the previous deaths (as they were widely publicized) why did people continue to take the pills?

There were 25 recorded deaths related to these pills over the summer, and when posed with this question I personally drew a blank, which instantly incited the sociologist in me to then find an appropriate answer. Why would someone take something if they suspected it had been adulterated with either of these substance?

I don't anticipate an answer but I would love to hear theories,

It would just be for my own personal interest/understanding, rather than a research purpose.

I only just read your post but your PhD sounds really interesting! I'm glad to see people taking an interest in researching new substances as I have as well.

I'm actually doing a PhD on this myself but my background is in psychology. My interest is about understanding how people make decisions in general, and your question about why people take new substances is very much what my PhD is about. I think that the reason behind this is in part because of how decision-making works under normal circumstances. In short, people make decisions based on their past experiences (especially positive ones) which influences how they see future events. A person reading about deaths or impurities may also have other (positive) experiences, and so their decision will be based on the overall subset of experiences, not just their explicit knowledge. Well, this is the stripped-down version. I'm hoping to understand it a bit better by the time I finish my PhD.

I'd love to hear about your papers or presentations, if you could PM me a copy?