International Journal of Drug Policy This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Consumer agency in cannabis supply – Exploring auto-regulatory documents of the cannabis social clubs in Spain
There is growing experience with the not-for-profit, consumer-driven cannabis social club (CSC) model that builds on self-supply, self-organization and harm-reduction; these are principles upon which people who use drugs (PWUD) have been engaging for decades. Recent legalization of cannabis in a number of jurisdictions and the related challenges in regulating production, sale, taxation and health-related matters have raised interest in non-commercial models of cannabis supply. The “codes of conduct” (CsoC) of CSC federations in Spain might reveal whether a consumer-based model could overcome these challenges. (Source: ...
Source: International Journal of Drug Policy - January 20, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Vendula Belackova, Chris Wilkins Tags: Research Paper Source Type: research

Using medical examiner case narratives to improve opioid overdose surveillance
Current opioid overdose mortality surveillance methods do not capture the complexity of the overdose epidemic. Most rely on death certificates, which may underestimate both opioid analgesic and heroin deaths. Categorizing deaths using other characteristics from the death record including route of drug administration may provide useful information to design and evaluate overdose prevention interventions. (Source: International Journal of Drug Policy)
Source: International Journal of Drug Policy - January 18, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Emily Hurstak, Christopher Rowe, Caitlin Turner, Emily Behar, Rachel Cabugao, Nikolas P. Lemos, Catherine Burke, Phillip Coffin Tags: Research Paper Source Type: research

A “not-for-profit” regulatory model for legal recreational cannabis: Insights from the regulation of gaming machine gambling in New Zealand
A dozen or more regulatory frameworks have been proposed for legal cannabis but many of the “not-for-profit” options have yet to be developed in any detail, reducing the likelihood they will be seriously considered by policy makers. New Zealand’s innovative “not-for-profit” regulatory regime for gaming machine gambling (i.e. “slot machines”) has reversed the previous increase in gambling expenditure, empowered local councils to cap the number of gambling venues, and is unique in requiring the societies operating gaming machines to distribution 40% of the gross expenditure from machines (i.e. (Source: Internat...
Source: International Journal of Drug Policy - January 12, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Chris Wilkins Tags: Editors ’ Choice Source Type: research

‘You’re repulsive’: Limits to acceptable drunken comportment for young adults
Researchers have described a ‘culture of intoxication’ among young people. Yet drunkenness remains a socially risky practice with potential to evoke emotions of irritation and even disgust. We consider intoxicated practices that young adults in Melbourne, Australia, described as distasteful, to identify contemporary cultura l forces that constrain intoxication and limit how it is enacted. (Source: International Journal of Drug Policy)
Source: International Journal of Drug Policy - January 11, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Sarah MacLean, Amy Pennay, Robin Room Source Type: research

Hedging bets: Applying New Zealand ’s gambling machine regime to cannabis legalization
Cannabis legalization is often falsely depicted as a binary choice between status quo prohibition and legalizing production and distribution by (regulated) for-profit industry. There are, however, many more prudent architectures for legalization, such as restricting production and distribution licenses to not-for-profit entities. Wilkins describes how New Zealand applied that concept to gambling machines and proposes a parallel for cannabis legalization. Greater investment in proposing good designs along these lines, including attending to governance structures, would be valuable. (Source: International Journal of Drug Policy)
Source: International Journal of Drug Policy - January 11, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Jonathan P. Caulkins Tags: Response Source Type: research

Being in control? A thematic content analysis of 14 in-depth interviews with 2,4-dinitrophenol users
2,4-Dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) is a compound with multiple industrial purposes. Currently unlicensed for human consumption, it is used by the gym-going population for drastic, short-term body fat loss. Nonetheless, physiological mechanisms can lead to potentially fatal hyperthermia. Reported fatal incidents have caused concern and highlighted the need for intervention. Understanding decision-making leading to 2,4-DNP use alongside the perceived outgroup attitudes is vital to forming effective harm minimisation policies targeting current and potential users. (Source: International Journal of Drug Policy)
Source: International Journal of Drug Policy - January 11, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Neha Prasad Ainsworth, Elisabeth Julie Vargo, Andrea Petr óczi Source Type: research

A qualitative study comparing physician-reported barriers to treating addiction using buprenorphine and extended-release naltrexone in U.S. office-based practices
Our aim was to compare physician-reported barriers to sublingual buprenorphine (BUP) and extended-release naltrexone (XR-NLT) prescribing in U.S. office-based practices, and to identify potential policies for minimizing these barriers. Only one previous qualitative study has examined physician-reported barriers to prescribing XR-NLT and no qualitative study has compared physician-reported barriers between the two medications. (Source: International Journal of Drug Policy)
Source: International Journal of Drug Policy - January 8, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Barbara Andraka-Christou, Matthew J. Capone Tags: Research Paper Source Type: research

Differences in risk behaviours and HIV status between primary amphetamines and opioid injectors in Estonia and Russia
People who inject drugs (PWID) account for over half of new HIV infections in Eastern Europe and central Asia, where opioids continue to be the dominant illicit drugs injected. Stimulants including amphetamines (ATS) have been associated with HIV infection risk in several settings. We sought to examine whether primary ATS injection was associated with greater HIV risk, compared to opioid injection in two European locales with significant HIV epidemics. (Source: International Journal of Drug Policy)
Source: International Journal of Drug Policy - January 4, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Isabel Tavitian-Exley, Mathieu Maheu-Giroux, Lucy Platt, Robert Heimer, Anneli Uusk üla, Olga Levina, Peter Vickerman, Marie-Claude Boily Tags: Research Paper Source Type: research

The law on the streets: Evaluating the impact of Mexico ’s drug decriminalization reform on drug possession arrests in Tijuana, Mexico
In 2009, Mexican Federal Government enacted “narcomenudeo” reforms decriminalizing possession of small amounts of drugs, delegating prosecution of retail drug sales to the state courts, and mandating treatment diversion for habitual drug users. There has been insufficient effort to formally assess the decriminalization policy’s populati on-level impact, despite mounting interest in analagous reforms across the globe. (Source: International Journal of Drug Policy)
Source: International Journal of Drug Policy - January 3, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: J. Arredondo, T. Gaines, S. Manian, C. Vilalta, A. Ba ñuelos, S.A. Strathdee, L. Beletsky Tags: Research Paper Source Type: research

Editorial Board
(Source: International Journal of Drug Policy)
Source: International Journal of Drug Policy - January 1, 2018 Category: Addiction Source Type: research

Changes in public order after the opening of an overdose monitoring facility for people who inject drugs
This study examines the impact of the opening of the SPOT program on measures of injection drug-related public order in the neighborhood surrounding the facility. (Source: International Journal of Drug Policy)
Source: International Journal of Drug Policy - December 30, 2017 Category: Addiction Authors: Casey Le ón, Lena J.P. Cardoso, Salem Johnston, Sarah Mackin, Barry Bock, Jessie M. Gaeta Tags: Research Paper Source Type: research

Sheltering risks: Implementation of harm reduction in homeless shelters during an overdose emergency
The current opioid overdose crisis in North America is heightening awareness of the need for and the challenges of implementing harm reduction, notably within complex and diverse settings such as homeless shelters. In this paper, we explore the implementation of harm reduction in homeless shelters during an emerging overdose emergency. (Source: International Journal of Drug Policy)
Source: International Journal of Drug Policy - December 28, 2017 Category: Addiction Authors: Bruce Wallace, Katrina Barber, Bernadette (Bernie) Pauly Tags: Research Paper Source Type: research