Markets, methods and messages

The European Society for Social Drug Research (ESSD) was established in 1990. The principal aim of the ESSD is to promote social science approaches to drug research, with special reference to the situation in Europe. Organising annual conferences and producing an annual book is a core activity of the ESSD. For this year's book, a number of participants who presented their studies at the 21st annual conference in Dubrovnik, Croatia in September 2010 were invited to submit a chapter. However, this invitation was not restricted to the participants of the conference: other ESSD members were also welcome to contribute. After a first review of outlines by the Editorial Board, submitted papers were peer reviewed by distinguished scholars. This book contains only the chapters that were approved during this process.

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Messages in the mass media shed light on how people are thinking about drugs, and they also both reflect and influence policies on drugs. However, that is by no means saying that media messages are a true representation of drug users' and suppliers' own experiences and perceptions. Here lies one of the critical problems of drug policy: the issue of which methods and messages will be most effective in managing the drug market. Markets, methods and messages are the three central themes of this book, with a focus on Europe. Authors include social scientists from a range of disciplines, including psychology, sociology, anthropology and criminology. In reporting on their systematic research on drug use, drug users and drug suppliers, some authors address one of the themes, others a combination. Together, their contributions illustrate the dynamic nature of drug markets, messages about drugs, and methods of investigating the world of drug users and suppliers.