NCJ Number
129808
Journal
International Journal on Drug Policy Volume: 2 Issue: 4 Dated: (January/February 1991) Pages: 34-36
Date Published
1991
Length
3 pages
Annotation
The research methods used to gather information about nonaddicted intravenous drug users in Canberra, Australia can be used by other researchers to indicate the importance of interacting with illicit drug users first as people and not as deviants who are completely different from the researcher.
Abstract
The author's research began in 1989 and focused on recreational intravenous drug users and was based on the view that most knowledge about illicit drug use is obtained from the small percentage of the population who are heavy drug users and who develop legal or health problems. The author's initial method of finding study participants was to ask everyone she knew if they knew anyone who was an intravenous drug user. After she had asked about 50 friends and acquaintances, Roger came to a meeting she attended. They rapidly developed a rapport, and Roger told his friends that she was both safe and a friend. She was invited to social occasions with Roger and his friends, which she regarded as extremely useful for her ethnographic research. She ultimately interviewed 36 drug abusers; 17 were then using drugs intravenously. Elements of this methodology could be used in the work of other researchers. 12 references