The normalisation of drug supply: The social <i>supply</i> of drugs as the "other side" of the history of normalisation



Coomber, Ross ORCID: 0000-0002-8144-1996, Moyle, Leah and South, Nigel
(2016) The normalisation of drug supply: The social <i>supply</i> of drugs as the "other side" of the history of normalisation. DRUGS-EDUCATION PREVENTION AND POLICY, 23 (3). pp. 255-263.

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Abstract

Aims: Describes how the relative normalisation of recreational drug use in the UK has been productive of, and fused with, the relatively normalised and non-commercial social supply of recreational drugs. Methods: Semi-structured interviews with 60 social suppliers of recreational drugs in two studies (involving a student population n = 30 and general population sample n = 30). Respondents were recruited via purposive snowball sampling and local advertising. Findings: Both samples provided strong evidence of the normalised supply of recreational drugs in micro-sites of friendship and close social networks. Many social suppliers described “drift” into social supply and normalised use was suggested to be productive of supply relationships that both suppliers and consumers regard as something less than “real” dealing in order to reinforce their preconceptions of themselves as relatively non-deviant. Some evidence for a broader acceptance of social supply is also presented. Conclusions: The fairly recent context of relative normalisation of recreational drug use has coalesced with the social supply of recreational drugs in micro-sites of use and exchange whereby a range of “social” supply acts (sometimes even involving large amounts of drugs/money) have become accepted as something closer to gift-giving or friendship exchange dynamics within social networks rather than dealing proper. To some degree, there is increasing sensitivity to this within the criminal justice system.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Drug use, users-view, social networks
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 04 Jun 2018 15:37
Last Modified: 19 Oct 2023 09:11
DOI: 10.3109/09687637.2015.1110565
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3022161