Disruptive Potential of the Internet to Transform Illicit Drug Markets and Impact on Future Patterns of Drug Consumption.

The internet facilitates rapid and covert communication, knowledge transfer, and has the potential to disrupt and transform drug market models and associated consumption patterns. Innovation and new trends diffuse rapidly through this medium and new operational models are emerging. Although the online drug markets currently only account for a small share of all drug transactions, the potential of the surface and deep web to provide a new platform for drug sale and exchanges is considerable.

Truancy, alcohol use and alcohol-related problems in secondary school pupils in Norway.

This study focuses on a vulnerable group of pupils often missed by mainstream school surveys. It explores alcohol use and alcohol-related problems for a sample of truants of secondary school age, comparing behaviours with a school-based sample from the same geographical area. Analyses are based on a survey among truants (n = 107) and a school survey (n = 3702) undertaken in Bergen, Norway. When compared with mainstream pupils, the truants reported an earlier alcohol debut and a higher frequency of drinking. They reported significantly higher levels of binge drinking (6+ units). Truants were four times more likely to report regular drunkenness and twice as likely to report problems associated with their alcohol consumption. In the truancy sample, boys were more likely to engage in regular and excessive drinking, while girls reported higher levels of problems linked to their drinking. Results suggest that higher levels of truancy were related to more frequent drinking, drunkenness and alcohol-related problems. There are strong indications for early intervention activities directed at truants, and registration of truancy in itself could be a simple and effective way of identifying pupils at risk of a wide range of social and health problems, including high levels of alcohol use.

Drug information systems, early warning, and new drug trends: can drug monitoring systems become more sensitive to emerging trends in drug consumption?

Drug Information Systems (DIS) are called upon to provide an early warning of emerging trends in drug use. However, little theoretical attention is directed toward exploring conceptual issues in this area. In this paper a typology of existing DIS is offered. Among the features that distinguish DIS are their structure (human network or organization systems) and the range of information sources used. Indicators of drug use can be placed on a continuum of sensitivity ranging from leading edge indicators to lagged indicators. Sensitivity implies volatility as sensitive indicators also react to fluctuations that do not become trends. DIS conventionally are largely reliant upon lagged indicators. What is required are DIS that combine a critical information processing function with the ongoing systematic collection of data from a range of data sources.