More social research into polydrug use

(Re)conceptualizing “Polydrug Use”: Capturing the Complexity of Combining Substances

“…The number of academic publications on the topic of “polydrug” use has increased considerably in the past two decades. A Web of Science search conducted at the end of 2017 (using terms such as “polydrug*”, “polysubstance*”, “multiple drug*”, and “mixed drug*”) found that the volume of publications had grown 10-fold since the 1970s and 1980s (Kataja, Tigerstedt, & Hakkarainen, 2018). Currently, around 200 articles are published annually on this theme.…”

Exploring multiple drug use by integrating mobile health and qualitative mapping methods - An individual case study

“…Social science contributions to understanding multiple drug use have lagged behind those from the natural sciences ( Kataja, Tigerstedt, & Hakkarainen, 2018 ). The regular and combined use of multiple substances is disproportionately practiced by some minority and socially marginalized groups, such as gender minority individuals ( Benotsch et al, 2013 ).…”

“…The regular and combined use of multiple substances is disproportionately practiced by some minority and socially marginalized groups, such as gender minority individuals ( Benotsch et al, 2013 ). The particular risks (e.g., overdose) and benefits (e.g., enhanced capacities) associated with multiple drug use demand a better understanding of its unique characteristics, including its specific patterns, combinations, intentions, and contexts ( Kataja et al, 2018 ). We use the term multiple drug use to encompass both 'drug use repertoires' and 'drug use combinations'.…”

Concepts and conditions for knowledge production

“…At the editorial office we have, both in editorials and in commissioned material, paid special attention to circumstances of knowledge production. This refers for example to the space of action and claims of relevance by social science research in view of “a giant isomorphic wheel of public health” ( Hellman, 2018a ); the greater interest in funding research by commercial forces intent on skewing the science agenda ( Hellman, 2018b ); new approaches to explaining trends in use patterns ( Hellman, 2018c ; Kataja, Tigerstedt, & Hakkarainen, 2018 ); how we are to understand the epistemic project of the addicted brain ( Hellman, 2018d ); and circumstances that pressurise the qualitative research agenda by demands of availability and applicability in a narrow sense ( Edman, 2017 ; Hellman, 2017 ; Järvinen-Tassopoulos, 2017 ), to name just a few.…”