Caroline Chatwin

New psychoactive substances and British drug policy: a view from the cyber-psychonauts

Abstract Aims: (i) To collect data on the consumption patterns, purchase patterns and motivations of the online NPS community, and (ii) engage this specific group of NPS users in an exploration of recent policy developments in the UK focusing on their experiences of new legislative controls and the perceived harms they may cause, and eliciting their suggestions for future policy developments in this area. Methods: We employed an exploratory online methodology comprising a survey and participatory online research designed to interact and engage with experienced users of NPS. Findings: The findings of our small-scale exploratory study illustrate that what we term the cyber-psychonauts are well equipped to make a valuable contribution to NPS policy debates in general, and are ideally placed to report on the effects of recent policy changes on NPS-related harms in particular. The majority of NPS users in our study supported the introduction of a regulated market for NPS, which would not criminalise users and which would focus on the reduction of NPS-related harm. Conclusions: We argue that the cyber-psychonauts are well placed to contribute to NPS-related drug policy debates and, furthermore, that there may be a role for them in disseminating emerging information about NPS-related harm.

Drug policy harmonization and the European Union

PART I: HARMONISATION, DRUG POLICY AND THE EUROPEAN UNION Policy Making at a European Level Drug Policy in the European Union Statistical Information on the Drug Problem in the European Union PART II: DRUG POLICY IN INDIVIDUAL MEMBER STATES Sweden The Netherlands Denmark Portugal PART III: MULTI-LEVEL GOVERNANCE AND THE WAY FORWARD FOR EUROPEAN DRUG POLICY Multi-level Governance and the Way Forward for European Drug Policy

Blurred Boundaries The Artificial Distinction Between “Use” and “Supply” in the U.K. Cannabis Market

This article examines particular features of the bottom level of the U.K. cannabis market and the overlap between supply–supplier and use–user within that market. An Internet survey was completed by 464 adult regular cannabis users residing in the United Kingdom. Results indicate that over a quarter of the sample had bought large amounts (9 ounces [252 g] or more) of cannabis at one time, a third had been involved in selling cannabis for profit and over two fifths had been involved in intentionally taking cannabis across internal European Union borders. These findings are discussed in relation to both Parker, Aldridge, and Measham’s (1998) thesis of normalization and South’s (1999) theory of the “everyday” nature of drug taking. We suggest that the boundaries between users and suppliers within the U.K. cannabis market are far from clear, and that attempts to conceptually separate these behaviors, whether for legal, policy or academic purposes, are therefore problematic.

Mixed messages from Europe on Drug Policy Reform: the cases of Sweden and the Netherlands

Abstract This article examines the variety of drug policy in operation within Europe by focusing on Sweden (relatively restrictive) and the Netherlands (relatively liberal) as case studies. It analyses European data to produce an in-depth overview of the nature of the illegal drugs situation in both countries, focusing on both successes and areas that could be improved. Finally it appraises the appetite for drug policy reform in terms of (i) cannabis regulation and (ii) treaty reform in each country. The main conclusions suggest that there are no common indicators of success by which drug policies in general can be judged, and there is little agreement within Europe about whether or not we are in need of drug policy reform. It suggests that a successful global drug policy should celebrate diversity and should also seek to provide an international framework within which different global drug strategies can be evaluated.

The effects of EU enlargement on European drug policy

In May this year ten new countries joined the existing European Union (EU) member states after long and complex accession negotiations. This article examines preparations for accession that were made in the area of illicit drug policy and discusses both their effectiveness and possible limitations. In the areas of drug trafficking and production and the exchange of information between member states some concrete policy measures have been almost directly transferable to new member states, largely due to the high degree of cooperation between existing member states in these areas. However, in the more controversial areas of harm reduction and dealing with drug use and drug users there are no concrete EU guidelines in place and policy is left up to the national governments of individual countries. In this important area many existing EU member states have adopted important measures designed to reduce the harm of official drug policy but these practices are not proving to be so easily transferable to new member states. This article discusses the consequences of failing to adequately develop policy across the EU in this important area and suggests that failing to address this important issue in the new member states could have far reaching ramifications for the rest of Europe.

The problem with “skunk”

Purpose – This article aims to discuss the use of the word “skunk” in contemporary discourse as short‐hand for premium quality, indoor‐grown cannabis. Skunk, as used in this way, is a contested term that many cannabis users reject. The purpose of the article is to draw attention to some practical implications of this semantic dispute for academic research and for policy development.Design/methodology/approach – The authors draw on qualitative data generated during an online survey project examining UK cannabis markets. Findings discussed are contextualised by reference to use of the word skunk in public discourse through the media and policy documents.Findings – The uncritical use of the word “skunk” by researchers, the media and others can pose problems, particularly where the use and implied meaning of the word is rejected (as it is amongst a segment of the cannabis using population). Attempts to acquire or disseminate knowledge, or to develop or enact policy about cannabis use and distribution in the U...

Assessing the ‘added value’ of European policy on new psychoactive substances

BACKGROUND New psychoactive substances (NPS) are reported to be on the rise throughout Europe, and are often presented as the latest challenge facing drug-policy makers. At the European level, legislation on NPS has existed since 1998. Several evaluations, however, have suggested that this legislation is not effective and the European Commission has submitted a new proposal on NPS seeking to extend its powers in this area. METHODS This article critically evaluates the new proposal against its predecessors three main criticisms: (i) being unable to tackle the large number of NPS because of lengthy European legislative approaches, (ii) being reactive rather than proactive, and (iii) lacking options for regulatory and control measures. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION In determining whether or not European interventions can bring added value to what is being done at the national level, it finds that, while the new proposal is more efficient, it is not necessarily more effective, and that there is a disappointing focus on legal frameworks at the expense of research and harm reduction.

Insiders? The Experiences and Perspectives of Long-Term, Regular Cannabis Users

Much research on the use of illicit drugs begins with questions about lifetime use, intended to estimate the number of people who have ever used drugs (i.e., once or more) in their lifetime. By contrast the research described in this article describes the experience and perspective of “insiders” (as opposed to the “outsiders” of Beckers (1963) famous study): people who have used a class B drug, cannabis, throughout their lifetime. Interviews were thus conducted with cannabis users who were over 35 years of age, had been using cannabis for at least 15 years, and who continued to use on at least a weekly basis. In total, 23 interviews were conducted: 13 of these were face-to-face interviews and a further 10 came from a modest utilization of Internet research methods. Findings suggest that the lifelong, regular users of cannabis that we interviewed did not follow traditional narratives of addiction, but instead participated in responsible and controlled consumption. Furthermore, the perceived health benefits of using cannabis were as important motivations for use as the pursuit of pleasure, and the most damaging aspects of use appeared to stem from the criminality of cannabis rather than any inherent properties of the drug itself.

Not Particularly Special : critiquing ‘NPS’ as a category of drugs

Abstract Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) have been a dominant feature of drug discourse for many years now and, in academic, policy and public discourse, have become established as a new – and by implication, distinct – category of drugs. We argue that this understanding of NPS is fundamentally problematic. Differences within the category are obscured, as are similarities between NPS and more established categories of drugs. Focusing on NPS as something new, different or particularly special is misleading and counterproductive and can have serious consequences in terms of understanding the bigger picture in relation to illegal drugs more generally. This has led to overestimations of the size of the NPS problem, obfuscation of the common underlying causes of dependent drug use and the implementation of significant and problematic policy changes. Furthermore, a failure to see the rise in NPS as just one of a number of emerging trends in contemporary drug scenes, alongside the development of online markets or the rise in domestic drug production operations, for example, impairs our ability to understand the wider societal, cultural and theoretical underpinnings of drug use. NPS are not particularly special: treating them as such can have dangerous and far-reaching consequences.

UNGASS 2016: Insights from Europe on the development of global cannabis policy and the need for reform of the global drug policy regime

This article is framed by the forthcoming United Nations General Assembly Special Session on drugs (UNGASS) debates on global drug policy. It explores European drug policy experiences to draw out important lessons and insights that could be applied to wider global drug policy regimes. European experiences with (i) diverse cannabis policies and (ii) longstanding attempts to harmonise or coordinate diverse national drug policies in general are examined and the results are extrapolated to global drug policy debates. The diversity of drug policy seen within EU borders should be viewed (i) as a strength, (ii) flexibility under the international conventions is possible, but has limitations, (iii) changes to the global drug policy regime should seek to increase flexibility, and (iv) the importance of international institutions in providing a framework and an evaluatory role should not be under emphasised. Collectively, the evidence suggests the need for the loosening of controls restricting the development of diverse drug policy innovations, and the development of international drug policy frameworks and international standards of drug-related data collection.