Interaction rituals in an open drug scene

Abstract

Aims: Open drug scenes can be found in most major cities in Europe. Despite often being closed down by the police, the drug community continues to exist, and the drug scenes reappear elsewhere. There seem to be forces that hold these communities together, regardless of the substances used. In this study we explore whether interaction rituals have an impact on the decision by people to stay in the drug scene or to return after quitting their drug use. Method: In this ethnographic study, one of the researchers spent time in an open drug scene in a Norwegian city over a one-year span and gathered data on the human interactions hosted by this scene. In addition, the researcher interviewed eight people from the scene to obtain greater insight into their lives and perceptions of the scene, drawing on Goffman’s and Collins’s theories about rituals. Findings: Three themes emerged. First, drug users bonded as a group and resisted what they called “normal people” passing by. Second, users demonstrated the importance of sharing drugs and services and adhering to the scene’s rules of conduct. The third and final theme is the focus of attention and the production of emotional energy. Conclusion: The experience of being outsiders and the need to hide some of their activities seemed to make it necessary for persons in the drug scene to have their own rules and rituals. These rules and rituals can be regarded as “interaction rituals”. They provide participants with the symbols of group membership, emotional energy, and group solidarity. This makes it hard to leave the scene and might explain why those who do often return.

Sociological and spatial dynamics of an evolving Parisian open drug scene: the case of the “Colline du Crack”

“…Research has shown, however, that there is an internal order to these open drug scenes that "regulates" relations between PWUD (Grønnestad et al, 2020). That was the case here, where the earliest dwellers came together as a group of "elders" who regulated the internal life of La Colline.…”

Love & hate in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver: features of an unusual drug scene

“…Investigating an inner-city drug scene in Oslo, Grønnestad et al (2020) illustrate how interaction rituals can provide the individual with an experience of group cohesion and increased emotional energy. Friedman et al (2015) have identified caring behaviours amongst people who inject drugs (PWID) that they interpret as expressions not only of solidarity but even altruism.…”

“…At the same time as violence seems to constitute an extensively occurring and widely established social characteristic of drug scenes, a growing body of relatively recent research suggests the simultaneous existence of community-oriented norms and behaviours within drug subcultures. These embrace mutual support of people using drugs such as the provision of injection assistance, inspired by both prosocial and self-serving motivations (Brothers et al, 2020) and daily interaction rituals that promote social bonds and solidarity (Grønnestad et al, 2020). Further research states varying levels of community-minded norms and actions (Lalander, 2003;Stallwitz, 2012Stallwitz, , 2018aStallwitz, , 2018b) and both the presence (Friedman et al, 2015) and the absence of altruistic conduct concerning the prevention of infections due to needle sharing (Sandøy, 2015).…”

Public funding of science publishing: Why we are open access

“…The rules and rituals in a drug scene can provide members with emotional energy and a sense of belonging. The ethnographic study by Trond Grønnestad, Hildegunn Sagvaag, and Philip Lalander explore how these interaction rituals also make it hard to leave the drug scene, and why those who manage to leave often return ( Grønnestad et al, 2020 ).…”