Writing-up [UK] What do you think about the impact of the cocaine trade?

[HRS]

Hi everyone, my name is Harry Sumnall and I'm a Professor in the Public Health Institute at Liverpool John Moores University, UK.

We have launched a short online survey investigating what people in the UK think about the impact of the cocaine trade. The questionnaire will ask you about yourself (e.g. age), and your views and attitudes towards different aspects of life. We will ask you some questions about what you think about the impact of the global cocaine trade. There are some questions about your own use of cocaine and other drugs in the past. However, you don't have to have used any drugs in the past to take part. It takes between 10-15 minutes to complete the survey.

You must be aged over 18 and live in the UK to take part. If you have ever received drug treatment (e.g. from the NHS, or a community, voluntary or private provider), then we are sorry but you are not eligible to take part. This is because these factors might bias responses to this particular survey.

If you are interested, then you can find out more here (https://ljmupsych.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e2wNbqPc62I9x77). The page gives full study information, including contact information, and how your data will be handled. The study has been approved by the ethics committee of Liverpool John Moores University.

Thanks for reading, and grateful thanks in advance if you decide to take part. If you need to contact me directly then my email is [email protected]

Harry

***Post edited 11/11/20 to include exclusion criteria of not having ever received formal drug treatment. This was included in the formal participant information, but not this posting.***

 

[Tronica]

I wholly recommend both this survey and this researcher group at Liverpool University. Harry has published a lot of (I think) super interesting research over the years, including classic stuff on unknown content of 'ecstasy' tablets back in 2002, see catalogue here.

Harry has also made a donation to Bluelight to support our community.

Please check out this survey if you hail from the UK!

 

[wudbutcher]

I’m curious, is the impact to the UK different or more direct than to the US?

 

[OpiateKiller]

Are you asking the impact of the corona virus on the cocaine trade? Just curious

 

[HRS]

Are you asking the impact of the corona virus on the cocaine trade? Just curious

We're not looking at that in this particular piece of work. I think that would be a very interesting study in itself. From a European persepctive, the EMCDDA published an interesting report on this topic, if you're interested: https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/joint-publications/eu-drug-markets-impact-of-covid-19

 

[HRS]

I’m curious, is the impact to the UK different or more direct than to the US?

I think some of the key issues will be the same, eg. impact on producer countries, potential risk of direct harms to people who use cocaine etc; but here in the UK the harms have been framed in a very particular way (by e.g. media, politicians), and have been linked to wider discussions about crime in cities, or the exploitation of young people. Whilst I'm sure that's similar to other countries, the nature of those particular types of harms and how prominent they've become in popular discussions is relatively unique.

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

Hi Harry, I'm trying to complete your survey but it keeps kicking me out after the first two questions saying I need to be over 18 to take part, even though I answered 'yes' when asked.

Can you throw any light on this?

Cheers

@HRS

 

[HRS]

Hi Harry, I'm trying to complete your survey but it keeps kicking me out after the first two questions saying I need to be over 18 to take part, even though I answered 'yes' when asked.

Can you throw any light on this?

Cheers

@HRS

Hi, thanks for letting me know. I'm not sure why that has happened, sorry, as no one else has reported the error. I have just double checked it myself to make sure, and it's still working OK.

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

Hi, thanks for letting me know. I'm not sure why that has happened, sorry, as no one else has reported the error. I have just double checked it myself to make sure, and it's still working OK.

@HRS

I've just attempted again and it's doing the same same thing.

I answer yes to "are you over 18?"

Then answered yes to "have you ever been in formal drug treatment?"

And it kicked me out again...

 

[yubacity]

Filled it in I think cocaine should be legal know it causes harm through its production and distribution feel sorry for harm it causes but that soon forgotten when on a night out and have ordered a few packets .

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

@HRS

I've found the problem. Tried again and this time I answered 'NO' to the drug treatment question - it let me straight in.

Aren't ex junkies allowed to participate?

 

[CFC]

@HRS

I've found the problem. Tried again and this time I answered 'NO' to the drug treatment question - it let me straight in.

Aren't ex junkies allowed to participate?

The study says no:

 

[BK38]

Yeah, I think this study doesn't allow you to have entered treatment for drugs which probably excludes anyone who was heavy into cocaine/other drugs.

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

What's the point asking a load of druggies then?

 

[HRS]

Yeah, I think this study doesn't allow you to have entered treatment for drugs which probably excludes anyone who was heavy into cocaine/other drugs.

What's the point asking a load of druggies then?

What's the point asking a load of druggies then?

Thank you very much for bringing my attention to this. This was an unfortunate oversight on my behalf. Whilst the formal receipt of drug treatment was on the participant information sheet, I had not included that information in my posting above.

 

[HRS]

Thank you very much if you completed our survey. We have now finished our data collection, and are moving onto analysis. I will post a summary of our main findings when completed, and a link to the final article if it gets published. Harry

 

[neversickanymore]

Thank You Harry. Looking forward to it.