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- “Slam Sex”: sexualized injecting drug use (“SIDU”) amongst men who have sex with men (MSM): a scoping reviewPublication . Scheibein, Florian; Wells, John; Henriques, Susana; Van Hout, Marie ClaireSexualized injecting drug use (“SIDU”) is a phenomenon associated with a wide array of high-risk injecting and sex-related practices. This scoping review establishes what is known about MSM and SIDU to assess implications for health care and policy. Characteristics of MSM for “SIDU” may include being on anti-retroviral treatment and urban residency with drivers being challenging social taboos; a search for intimacy; convenience of administration; relationship breakdown and increased restrictions in clubs and saunas. Attraction for use appears to be enhancement or prolongation of sexual experiences/pleasure; intimacy and the facilitation of a range of potentially “unsafe” sexual activity. Traditional services are ill-equipped to address “SIDU” because of a lack of knowledge of practices, lack of associated vocabulary, and a failure to integrate sexual health with drug services. For effective responses, these issues need to be addressed.
- Letter to the editor: virtual community of researchers and prevention experts: approximating drug research and practice fieldsPublication . Henriques, Susana; Van Hout, Marie Claire; Teixeira, AntónioThis paper presents the key findings of a virtual community of addiction experts set up to share evidence- based programmes of prevention on novel psychoactive substance (NPS) use in Portugal. Using a theoretical framework that combines contributions from a virtual community of practice and learning in a virtual environment, with prevention science, this paper traces how members interact in order to improve their prevention intervention domains and approaches, and consider the political and practical implications.
- Why do people use new psychoactive substances?: Development of a new measurement tool in six European countriesPublication . Benschop, Annemieke; Urbán, R.; Kapitány-Fövény, M.; Van Hout, Marie Claire; Dąbrowska, K.; Felvinczi, Katalin; Hearne, E.; Henriques, Susana; Kaló, Z.; Kamphausen, G.; Silva, Joana Paula; Wieczorek, Łukasz; Werse, Bernd; Bujalski, Michal; Korf, D.; Demetrovics, ZsoltIntroduction: New psychoactive substances (NPS) pose a public health threat. Many studies have tried to identify the reasons of NPS use; however, none of them have so far used any standardised measures. The aim of this study was (i) to develop and cross-culturally validate the New Psychoactive Substance Use Motives Measure (NPSMM) and (ii) to compare motives of NPS use across countries and user types. Methods: Three subgroups (socially marginalised users, nightlife attendees and members of online communities) of NPS users (N = 3023) were recruited from six EU member countries. Demographics, motives and types of NPS used were assessed. NPS use motives were measured by adapting the extended six-factor version of the Marijuana Motives Measure. Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis resulted in a similar five-factor solution across most of the countries: coping, enhancement, social, conformity and expansion motives. Marginalised users scored higher on coping and conformity motives, nightlife groups showed higher endorsement of social motive, whereas online community users showed higher scores on expansion motives. Various types of NPS were also associated with different motives. Conclusion: NPS use motives might be associated with both the groups of users and the specific types of NPS being consumed. Expansion (psychedelics) and enhancement (stimulants) motives seemed to be linked to the chosen NPS product type, while coping, social and conformity motives were rather associated with user groups. NPSMM was found to be a valid instrument to measure NPS motives.
- Discriminative characteristics of marginalised novel psychoactive users: a transnational studyPublication . Felvinczi, Katalin; Benschop, Annemieke; Urbán, R.; Van Hout, Marie Claire; Dąbrowska, K.; Hearne, E.; Henriques, Susana; Kaló, Z.; Kamphausen, G.; Silva, Joana Paula; Wieczorek, Łukasz; Werse, Bernd; Bujalski, Michal; Demetrovics, Zsolt; Korf, D.New psychoactive substances (NPS) continue to be considered as a major public health concern in many European countries. The study was implemented within the framework of a transnational project of six European countries (Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal). Our aim here is to report on the distinct and differentiating characteristics of marginalised NPS users. Three subgroups of a total of 3023 adult NPS users (socially marginalised, night life, online community) were examined regarding their socio-demographic characteristics, substance use, and external motives towards NPS use. Poland and Hungary reported higher rates of NPS use in comparison to traditional controlled drugs. The external/contextual motives did not play a central role in the background of NPS use, the least important motives were alleged legality and non-detectability of these substances. Marginalised (defined as those accessing low threshold harm reduction services) users’ substance use patterns are different from the other two groups in terms of showing more intense and riskier drug use. The most important variables which contributed to be categorised as a marginalised NPS user were lower level education, being older, having an unfavourable labour market position and using drugs intravenously. Contextual motives did not play a decisive role in being categorised as a marginalised user when drug use pattern was controlled. These identified discriminative features of marginalised drug users should inform policy makers to develop and implement tailor-made interventions targeting this user group to successfully tackle the elevated public health concerns associated with NPS use.
- Virtually hidden: a theoretical framework for understanding and conceptualising online drug use pornographyPublication . Scheibein, Florian; Van Hout, Marie Claire; Henriques, Susana; Wells, JohnOnline drug use pornography has been freely available through websites on the open internet for at least 7 years. Surprisingly there is almost no exploration of its nature, character or impacts on both performers and those engaging with this type of content within the research literature. Nor is it an issue that has engaged health care providers and other statutory and non-statutory agencies even though it may have implications within their respective domains. A preliminary scoping of the online environment is used to propose a theoretical framework that combines Goffman’s performance theory with that of Turner and Schechner’s positioning of ritual theory within performance theory, Butler’s concept of performativity online and Luppichi’s concept of the ‘technoself’. Utilising the proposed theoretical framework, it is postulated that the presence, performance and engagement of online drug use pornography is a social boundary testing and possibly breaking performance centred on iterative relationships between performer and consumers of this content.
- A virtual ‘experiential expert’ communities of practice in sharing evidence based prevention of novel psychoactive substance (NPS) use: the portuguese experiencePublication . Henriques, Susana; Van Hout, Marie Claire; Teixeira, AntónioWe present findings from a unique virtual community of practice piloted to support a programme of prevention evidence and knowledge sharing among professional prevention practitioners as ‘experiential experts’ around tackling novel psychoactive substances (NPS) use in Portugal. A mixed-methods approach that combined quantitative analysis of interactions and qualitative content analysis of debates about NPS, NPS users, patterns of use and best practices in prevention of this type of drug use was conducted. Results show low and irregular interactions between members of this virtual community, but very rich discussions around sharing of experiences and problematizing practices. We discuss the layers of interaction between members, and the shared learning around policy and practice implications. Such virtual and collaborative work practices are not yet integrated within the drug prevention field where instead individualistic approaches tend to prevail and preclude the sharing of alternative solutions that shape different experiences. Our virtual community of NPS prevention experts provides a flagship for ongoing collaboration between research, generation of evidence informing policy and practice, professional training, support and shared learning. It underscores the need for an innovative and multi-disciplinary approach to sharing perspectives in tackling emerging and harmful drug trends.
- How and where to find NPS users: a comparison of methods in a cross national survey amongst three groups of current users of new psychoactive substances in EuropePublication . Korf, Dirk; Benschop, Annemieke; Werse, Bernd; Kamphausen, Gerrit; Felvinczi, Katalin; Dąbrowska, Katarzyna; Henriques, Susana; Nabben, Tom; Wieczorek, Łukasz; Bujalski, Michal; Kalo, Zsusza; Hearne, Evelyn; Van Hout, Marie ClaireUse of new psychoactive substances (NPS) across Europe remains a public health challenge. The study describes potentials and limitations of methods in a transnational survey of recent marginalised, nightlife and online community NPS users in Germany, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal (n = 3023). In terms of demographic profile, drug use history and type of NPS, different methods reached different segments of the NPS-using population. Last year use of different NPS varied across countries and groups. Respondents used NPS in a variety of settings, with public spaces most common in the marginalised group. The study suggests that prevalence rates can reveal a picture of the NPS market that significantly deviates from what law enforcement seizures indicate. Outreach in nightlife settings and peer education are recommended to inform users about health risks and to improve access to drug services and care.
- Sharing, group-buying, social supply, offline and online dealers: how users in a sample from six european countries procure New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)Publication . Werse, Bernd; Benschop, Annemieke; Kamphausen, Gerrit; Van Hout, Marie Claire; Henriques, Susana; Silva, Joana Paula; Dąbrowska, Katarzyna; Wieczorek, Łukasz; Bujalski, Michal; Felvinczi, Katalin; Korf, DirkGiven the multiple ways of regulations and market situations for new psychoactive substances (NPS), it is of interest how NPS users procure their drugs in different countries as well as in different user groups. Data comes from a face-to-face and online survey conducted in six EU countries, covering three groups of current (12-month) adult NPS users: (1) socially marginalized, (2) users in night life, and (3) users in online communities. While the supply situation differed considerably between countries, friends were the most prevalent source for buying, followed by online shops and private dealers. Marginalized users were more likely to buy from dealers, while online respondents showed the highest rates for buying online. While buying NPS from online or offline shops was relatively prevalent, we also found high rates for social supply and buying from dealers. A considerable part of this market may be classified as “social online supply,” with private suppliers procuring their drugs online. The market features among marginalized users resemble more those of illicit drug markets than those for other NPS users.
- The impacts and service responses to injecting cathinones and novel opioids amongst marginalized drug using populations: a scoping reviewPublication . Scheibein, Florian; Wells, John; Henriques, Susana; Van Hout, Marie ClaireBackground: A growing body of literature reports on the injection of synthetic cathinones (SC) and novel synthetic opioids (NSO) in marginalized drug-using (MDU) populations. This review seeks to establish what is known about the injection of SCs and NSOs impacts on MDUs. Method: A six-stage iterative scoping literature review was conducted in relation to SCs, NSOs, MDU impacts and service responses. Searches were conducted through Pubmed™ and Google Scholar™. Results: Two Thousand and Ninety-Nine search items were retrieved. After duplicates were removed (n = 880), articles were screened for injecting drug use by MDUs leading to the removal of a further 1102 articles. Three articles were identified through a hand search, yielding a total of 22 articles for appraisal. Conclusions: SC injection has largely dissipated in many regions due to service and policy responses and changes in the drug market. Responses to NSO have been less effective, with extensive use and opioid overdosing due to contamination and adulteration within the illicit drug market. These impacts have stimulated innovative responses such as fentanyl test strips and housing-based consumption sites. The evidence for their effectiveness is not established. In this context, the underlying environmental and structural factors shaping the risk of these populations should be addressed.
- Health and social problems associated with recent Novel Psychoactive Substance (NPS) use amongst marginalised, nightlife and online users in six european countriesPublication . Van Hout, Marie Claire; Benschop, Annemieke; Dąbrowska, Katarzyna; Demetrovics, Zsolt; Felvinczi, Katalin; Hearne, Evelyn; Henriques, Susana; Kaló, Zsuzsa; Kamphausen, Gerrit; Korf, Dirk; Silva, Joana Paula; Wieczorek, Łukasz; Werse, Bernd; Bujalski, MichalContinued diversification and use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) across Europe remains a public health challenge. The study describes health and social consequences of recent NPS use as reported in a survey of marginalised, nightlife and online NPS users in the Netherlands, Hungary, Portugal, Ireland, Germany and Poland (n = 3023). Some respondents were unable to categorise NPS they had used. Use of ‘herbal blends’ and ‘synthetic cannabinoids obtained pure’ was most reported in Germany, Poland and Hungary, and use of ‘branded stimulants’ and ‘stimulants/empathogens/nootropics obtained pure’ was most reported in the Netherlands. Increased heart rate and palpitation, dizziness, anxiety, horror trips and headaches were most commonly reported acute side effects. Marginalised users reported substantially more acute side effects, more mid- and long-term mental and physical problems, and more social problems. Development of country-specific NPS awareness raising initiatives, health and social service needs assessments, and targeted responses are warranted.