NCJ Number
63892
Editor(s)
H W FELDMAN,
M H AGAR,
G M BESCHNER
Date Published
1979
Length
234 pages
Annotation
ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDIES OF PHENCYCLIDINE (PCP) USERS TRACE THE STREET HISTORY OF PCP AND ITS CURRENT STATUS IN MAJOR AMERICAN CITIES AND PRESENT PROFILES OF PCP USERS.
Abstract
THE FINDINGS OF THESE ENTHOGRAPHIC STUDIES OF MORE THAN 300 USERS OF PCP (COMMONLY KNOWN AS ANGEL DUST) REVEALS CONTRADICTIONS TO THE RESULTS OF PRIOR STUDIES AND HIGHLIGHT INSUFFICIENCIES IN CURRENT DRUG ABUSE REPORTING PROGRAMS. THE REPORT BASES ITS CONCLUSIONS ON ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDIES IN CHICAGO, MIAMI, PHILADELPHIA, AND SEATTLE/TACOMA, ASSESSING THE PATTERNS OF PCP USE, THE SOCIAL DYNAMICS OF PCP-USING GROUPS, AND THE PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND SOCIAL EFFECTS OF EXTENDED USE. SEPARATE AND INDIVIDUAL ETHNOGRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE MANNERS OF PCP-USING GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS IN THE STREETS ARE PRESENTED FOR EACH OF THE FOUR CITIES. EACH OF THE ETHNOGRAPHERS FOUND THAT THE PCP USER IS TYPICALLY A WHITE ADOLESCENT FROM A LOW TO MIDDLE INCOME FAMILY WHO USES THE DRUG AT SOCIAL GATHERINGS. THE REPORTS INVESTIGATE THE EASY AVAILABILITY OF THE DRUG, ITS QUICK INEXPENSIVE HIGH AND RELEASE FROM BOREDOM, ITS BAD STREET REPUTATION, AND THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF THE PCP SIDE EFFECTS WHICH CONFER STATUS ON THOSE GROUP MEMBERS WHO TEST THEMSELVES AGAINST THEM. A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF 100 PCP USERS IS MADE THROUGH USE OF A QUESTIONNAIRE GOVERNING GENERAL DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, PATTERNS OF GENERAL DRUG USE, PATTERNS OF PCP USE, REPORTED POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS, TREATMENT, AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXPERIENCES. FINALLY, COMMENTS ARE OFFERED ON POLICY AND THE METHOD OF THE STUDY, WHICH IS PERCEIVED AS A DRUG RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND AS A GENERAL EXAMPLE OF ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH. BIBLIOGRAPHIES ACCOMPANY EACH CHAPTER. (RFC)