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What do *you* want researched?

Tronica

Executive Director
Staff member
Joined
Mar 12, 2002
Messages
4,354
We want to know what you believe should be included in an online survey of drug use practices that will be owned by Bluelight itself. Do you complete surveys on drugs and wish they'd focused on neglected topics? Do you have a wishlist for research areas? Do you think that the opinions of the drug-using community are being ignored in the corridors of power?

Your input will directly influence the online survey that our group will be facilitating (within limits of ethical practice and practical considerations). No, we can't feed our research participants pure MDMA ;) We can put together a good quality online survey, to answer research questions relevant to you, and publish the research publicly. We hope to create the biggest active illicit-related online survey ever designed, with a large enough response rate to command the attention of even the hardest prohibitionists. This will be YOUR survey, and through it, you will have a voice!

We are a small group of Australians (and Australian residents- Dr Platypus ;) ) who are committed to the Australian tradition of harm minimisation, a tradition currently being eroded by current government policy. Our team is multidisciplinary; representing medicine, scientific research, law enforcement, state and local government, peer education groups and user advocates. Read about us at http://blog.enlighten.org.au/thelist/

So - think, write, post, discuss and may the ideas flourish!

~tronica, on behalf of a list of us!
 
I'd like to see research on functional drug use. Something like "What strategies do long term illicit drug users use to manage their substance use?". Or maybe "What behaviours can prevent transition from recreational to dependent substance use?"

I guess I'm wary of the impacts of research into illicit drug use. For example, it would be reasonable to suggest that some of the data collected by the IDRS around pharmacotherapy diversion has led to punitive and authoritarian changes to the way pharmacotherapies are prescribed and dispensed in some states.

By shifting the research focus to less "at risk" drug users, there might be less adverse consequences. And of course an online survey is less likely to capture at risk groups anyway.

A criticism of a recent online survey I participated in - on drugs and driving ( www.drugdriving.org.au ) - was pretty shit because no way of commenting on amounts of drugs used. Questions like "do you think it is safe to drive after using methamphetamine?" are pretty meaningless without talking about amounts used, with what other drugs etc..
 
Thanks ayjay. I agree that research can have negative impacts from the perspective of the drug users affected. From the perspective of public health experts, IDRS data which resulted in liquid temazepam being removed from the pharmaceutical market meant that injecting drug users who were using it illicitly stopped experiencing some of the shocking side effects (amputated limbs, nasty vein damage). This mightn't have been seen as a win from the users' perspective - they still need to get hold of a drug, and now there is one less available.

Then there is research that has had a positive effect. One example is Australian research comparing the impact of cannabis laws in WA and SA, finding that even though cannabis use was the same, those people arrested for use in WA suffered more severe consequences which made it harder for them to move on with life. This study contributed to the reformed cannabis laws in WA to a civil penalties model rather than full prohibition.

I agree that functional drug use is a good topic for further research. Some of the ethnographic studies that are happening at the moment on recreational drug use in Perth and Melbourne will address these questions (those phd's are still a few years off being complete). Highlighting functional drug use is a good way of busting the myth that 'drugs are bad' per se. Useful info on how to prevent escalating drug use into dependence can certainly be gathered.

Myself and other participants in the drug driving survey you've mentioned had the same complaint. My answer to the question "do you think it is safe to drive after using methamphetamine?" would have been: it depends... I think the key factor in the design of such surveys is piloting them to discover these things before the survey is launched, and being in a position to incorporate feedback from the community you intend to survey. There isn't always time/money for this interaction, but I believe it is crucial to the accuracy of such research. Edit: see here for more
 
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Cheers Tronica. I wasn't trying to knock research in general - just highlighting the need for attention to impacts on the researched parties. AIVL has an extensive document on ethics of research on illicit drug use - I notice you've got a DUO member on your list so you're probably already onto that.

The temazepam gel cap stuff is interesting. The IDRS undoubtedly played some part in the end result, but I think a lot of the credit goes to the work of a particular Public Health Physician (Public Health Division, DHS Victoria). Personally, I'm against such strategies (removing a product), and the fact that it had a good outcome in this instance is largely due to good luck, rather than good management. Here's a brief explanation of why:
1. It's almost impossible to inject temazepam gel caps with any safety. Temazepam is thrombophlebitic - it's not available in injectable form (unlike, say, diazepam) because it's just not safe to inject. The gel used in the capsules has been thickened over the years to try and prevent injection - this has just led to more harms when it is injected *grrr* So my preferred option (explore methods for safer injection) is just harder to do in this case (although there are some behaviours practised by long term temazepam gel injectors that seem to work to an extent...).
2. Naturally, when temazepam gel caps were removed, another drug stepped up to take its place. The drug in question is (in Vic at least) Unisom gel caps - diphenhydramine HCl in a lovely blue gel cap. This drug seems much more benign - in terms of vascular and related damage, and in terms of the drug itself - compared with temazepam. It's this factor in particular that I think wasn't really considered by those pushing for the removal of temazepam gel caps - so we were lucky this time...
 
I'm interested in seeing how market variations affect usage patterns. For instance how users may change the route of administration or regularity of use with fluctuations in price/quality. Whether when one drug becomes unavailable or prohibitively expensive usage is reduced/ceased or an alternative is sought which may be less thoroughly researched and potentially have worse side effects.
 
My first time on bluelight for a long while, but I'm motivated to hop back on and explain the aims of drug driving survey ( www.drugdriving.org.au ). This survey is trying to get an indication of the levels of drug driving (both licit and illicit) in the Australian general population, as well as gage levels of knowledge and attitudes towards the different drugs (as related to driving) in the general population. We are keen to broaden the focus of the drug driving debate to include licit as well as illicit drugs, given the ultimate aim of improved road safety. In addition, we are trying to gather data about the information needs of those who do use drugs, again both licit and illicit, to enable them to make safe choices regarding driving.

We thought long and hard about the best ways to ask questions trying to get to these issues, and are well aware of the limitations of some of what we came up with. There are clearly a range of confounding factors such as dose, tolerance, experience etc when considering driving risks. What we will be able to get some indication from, in this relatively short and general survey, however, is an indication of levels of perceived driving risks across the general population. The fact that the survey is aimed at the general population, and not just at those with experience and/or knowledge of these issues, means that it wasn't the apriority place to try and examine them in more detail.

I hope this clarifies things. So far, over 2500 people have completed the survey and I would encourage those who haven't done so, to give it a go (just be aware there may be some slightly frustrating questions!). Please also pass it on to family and friends - we are trying to get as representative a sample as possible and are aiming for 10 000 across Australia.
 
Great to have you here, dr j! Thanks for explaining the drug driving survey further. What I neglected to couch my comment in was my excitement about the project as a whole! I agree wholeheartedly that we need to broaden the debate about drug driving and I know this survey will do that - hence my recommending it to 100 of my friends. Readers, go do the survey if you haven't already :)

Specifying amounts/measures of drugs when measuring perceptions of dangerousness when driving would be difficult to implement in a survey. I'm sure it was also difficult to reign in the length of it as well as you and your team did. Perhaps what we are picking up here is more a frustration with the double standards that exist between alcohol and illicit drugs across the board (not just in this particular question of one survey). It exists in the drug driving laws themselves too, although some of us might not think it's particular fair.

Thanks for your input TheYellowDart. Both yourself and ayjay have contributed ideas that would measure the unintended negative effects of regulations or of market changes from the users perspective. The most recent ERDS (formerly PDI) asked ~800 regular ecstasy users whether they thought their ecstasy use would change if crystal meth became easier to get, or if cocaine became easier to get. The majority believed their use of ecstasy would not change (79% for crystal, 60% for cocaine - p. 35 of National EDRS 2005). Then of course there has been many studies on the Australian heroin drought, and the subsequent uptake of methamphetamines which simultaneously became more available. The drug market research we already have is fascinating; I agree more could be done. New regulations can also be examined for potential harms that arise from people's reaction to them. For example, what has been the effect of reducing the availability of glass pipes for meth smoking... are people still smoking (using other implements/methods or getting pipes illegally) or do they change route of administration or change drug or stop all together?
 
I would like to see GHB,GBL,14-b looked at in much more depth than previously done.. the sticky is a great thread but there is so much more that could be added to that thread to make it even better than what it is...
 
Woody Wood Pecker: what kind of info would it be useful for you to know?
(re GHB/GBL/14B)
 
I have a personal intrest in how lsd effects the mind both in the immeadiate and long term. So I would love to see more research done on this.
 
I believe research into the glass pipe ban would be a great idea Tronica, expecially as they had the banning of bongs etc. on the drawing board too and I think they will find it has little effect on how people do their drugs, as people just use home made devices (this is all hypothesis of course :)).

This would be especially detrimental to marijuana users, as particularly young and ill informed users turn to the plastic hose or aluminium can methods which would be far more harmful in terms of toxic substances inhaled.

So perhaps this research really could benefit harm reduction?
 
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Thanks Nwalmaer. The effects of different drugs on the mind is a massive area of research in itself - though my understanding is that LSD doesn't get researched as often as other drugs, possibly because it's used less often, it would be harder to recruit people, etc. Though it would be worth looking at MAPS - they sponsor research into psychedelics!

In surveys we can measure people's perceptions of effects, but we need different research models to measure actual brain functions, for example. I have just read a little bit of a phd thesis on ecstasy and memory, which found that what we think our memory is like (self-assessed) is actually unrelated to objective measures of memory. Which brings into question previous research relying on people's ideas of their own mind's capacity, and relates those to drug use. *food for thought!*

Hi tribesman! I think this sort of research could definitely benefit harm reduction. If a research project can look into how people react to changes in the context of their drug use, then we can get a better sense of whether harms are decreasing or increasing. As harm reductionists, that should be the benchmark for evaluating what to do next - if it leads to greater harm, it should be reconsidered. If it leads to reduced harms, it should be encouraged.

Of course it's not entirely that simple in the real world! ;)
 
Just a couple of ideas, what you discussed earlier about functional drug use.

I saw a poll in Drug Culture about what percentage of people's income they spend on drugs. I think this sort of information could be useful when looking at the lifestyles of non-problematic drug users. I don't think I've ever seen any survey results looking at this type of question specifically.

I mean if we are debating with politicians about the instance of non-problematic drug usage, what figures do we have to show that not only does it exist, but what percentage of drug users are exercising moderation and are not addicts.

Along the same lines something like what percentage of drug users, and this could be broken down by specific drugs used, have ever been in trouble with the law (i.e. recorded a conviction).

I mean if we want to talk about functional drug use, it seems to make sense that we should try to measure those things that society deems makes a person "functional"; job, house, mortgage, bank accounts, car, income and so on and see how drug users in general are measuring up.

That's my 0.02 cents :)
 
Tronica said:
Woody Wood Pecker: what kind of info would it be useful for you to know?
(re GHB/GBL/14B)


the addiction side of it....

things like the following :

Time frame it took to get addcited
Doses used when addicted
Doses that lead to addiction
What did they start on 14,b , GBL , GHB
How they beat addiction

also id really like to hear on why ppl preffer GHB.GBL,14,b over other drugs

basically id like personal experiences :D sorry im nosey
 
Thought of some new research qs

Picking up on tribesman's suggestion (re - banning sale of glass pipes), and expanding on it - it would be nice to gauge the impacts of supply control measures more generally, by examining the impacts on health and drug taking behaviour.

It's long been assumed by the health sector that law enforcement approaches often have a detrimental effect on people - but there's not a lot of good research out there to make a call either way. It would be cool to see some sort of, for example, narrative evaluation of things like custodial sentences, CBOs and ICOs. The stats from police and corrections focus on reductions in crime rates and recidivism, but there are broader impacts of policing to be considered.
 
Never Encountered The Question On a Formal or Semi Formal Survey

hoptis said:
I saw a poll in Drug Culture about what percentage of people's income they spend on drugs. I think this sort of information could be useful when looking at the lifestyles of non-problematic drug users. I don't think I've ever seen any survey results looking at this type of question specifically.

Word^
Chucks in another 2c.

I was wonderin' that
in relation
to the live
& internet
surveys
I've done
for a few years.

:)
 
I believe the income question is on our draft survey, so we'll have to make sure we keep it in! I agree, it is a good way to show how much of a financial issue drug use is for people - comparing the seriousness of the odd $30 purchase with weekly $100+ expenditure, you can see the extent to which people are managing the lifestyle.

Although (last time I checked) the PDI doesn't have an income question (correct me if I'm wrong), it does ask questions about prices of drugs, and how much people normally buy and use. So the financial burden can be extrapolated. One of the findings often cited from the PDI surveys over the years and across the nation, is that it shows most participants are working or studying, and have not been involved in the criminal system. This finding is something I go back to for evidence against the idea that all drug users have serious problems.

Hoptis & Unsquare: there has been some work in this area, but it will be important to include measures of 'non-problematic drug use' in the forthcoming survey too. Definitely!

Woody Wood Pecker: I put together a review of GHB/GBL/14B literature last year which I can send to you, though some studies have been done since - notably this one by Cameron Duff, with a sample of GHB users living in Melbourne. Should answer a few of the questions you've posed. You are right though, there's not been much research into G in comparison to other drugs that have been around a bit longer.
 
Sounds good. Will put my thinking cap on...

Oh well, at least some lucky bastard PhD student will be having fun with this project!!! :D

Considering the governments stance on recreational drugs use; I hope the APA is put to good use 'recreationally', and that the ARC OR NHMRC is paying for the research!
 
It's important to realize this project is not going to form the thesis of a PhD student. As Tronica mentioned, thelist is a collective of academics, doctors and researchers etc... and as such we feel we can collectively create a superior survey to those which have been previously developed.

All agree that input of users themselves will be invaluable in achieving this.

There is at least one excellent BL PhD related project in the wind that I'm aware of, but you'll have to wait until the candidate is ready to detail it's objectives.
 
Correlation between smoking and drug use

Hi everyone - this is my first post, I have been purely a reader of Bluelight for many years but thought I'd finally post something..

I want to pose a question I haven't seen asked before -

Did you start smoking (cigarettes) with or "as result of" the use of other drugs (amphetamines, ecstasy etc)?

Ter.
 
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