NCJ Number
215224
Journal
Crime, Law and Social Change Volume: 44 Issue: 1 Dated: 2005 Pages: 1-18
Date Published
2005
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This is a cross-national study that examined urban synthetic drug markets, primarily ecstasy, at different stages of development in Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Barcelona, Spain; and Turin, Italy.
Abstract
In all three cities, ecstasy became widely available in the local market during the early 1990s. From the beginning, this new drug market differed from the traditional drug markets. It was more "hidden" and entrenched in wider social and cultural environments. The links between synthetic drug consumption, dance, and techno-music nightlife settings contributed to the emergence of a new type of drug consumer, i.e. mainstream youth. The synthetic drugs are purchased at private addresses among relatives, friends, and acquaintances. Suppliers are often friends and neighbors who move in the same cultural and social milieus. In all three cities, the supply systems for ecstasy drugs have a short distribution chain, with two or three transactions being sufficient to link the importer with the final users. There was no indication of the involvement of organized criminal groups committed to dominating the ecstasy market. This was an unexpected finding, particularly for Turin, which is in the region where traditional Mafia-type organizations have settled. Dutch drug policy is based on harm reduction and a public health approach; whereas, both the Italian and Spanish drug legislation tends to criminalize synthetic drug consumption through administrative sanctions and/or fines. This study used a multifaceted methodology that favored the use of qualitative research methods based on a wide range of sociological, ethnographic, and criminological tools, as well as interviews, focus group discussions with privileged observers, analysis of judicial and police files, and, in some cases, participant observation. 12 notes and 31 references