Marketplace Forums in Harm Reduction Perspective: A Study on Drug Consumption Trends

Lisbon Addition 2017 October 23rd THIS PLACE IS LIKE THE JUNGLE A qualitative marketplace forum analysis Sara Rolando, PhD, sociologist Eclectica Institute for research and training, Turin (Italy)

The research framework Criminal Justice Program JUST/2014/JDRU/AG/DRUG Project B.A.O.N.P.S. - Be aware on night pleasure safety Focus: NPS, drug-checking Research team: Sara Rolando, Franca Beccaria http://coopalice.net/baonps/ www.eclectica.it

The complete research design Survey -> self-administered questionnaires, distributed in different nightlife/leisure contexts Qualitative web-based research, content analysis of: fora on the Clearnet addressed to a generalist public (generalist fora) and specifically to drug users (specific fora) marketplaceforum on the Darknet (Alphabay)

Main aim of the web-fora study To deepen drugs and NPS consumption styles and consumers profiles by collecting their spontaneous representations in different kinds of web fora, with different level of anonymity With the highest level of anonymity the Darknet was expected to be the environment where PS users feel more free to openly talk about their consumptions

The marketplace fora Literature on drugs on marketplaces also called cryptomarkets - is rather recent but fast-growing (Aldridge & Askew 2016). Drug users main reasons to buy on marketplaces: cheaper prices, higher quality of substances and greater availability compared to the street markets (Van Buskirk et al. 2016; Van Hout & Bingham 2013). Drug users who buy on cryptomarkets seem to be mainly male and younger compared to those who buy only on traditional illegal markets (Barratt, Ferris and Winstock 2016; Van Buskirk et al 2016), Marketplaces offer two kinds of services that are crucial to build trust in the system: rating and escrow.

The marketplace forums in a harm reduction perspective Likewise platforms on the Clearnet (Soussan and Kjellgren 2014; M r and R cz 2013) these fora have been defined as a new form of harm reduction (Buxton & Bingham 2015; Bancroft & Reid 2016). Which does not mean that they necessarily reduce the harms related to drug use (Barrat 2011), but that, by protecting the users identity and giving them the opportunity to rank the quality of the substances, marketplace fora create empowered communities of online users (Vale Pires et al. 2015), thereby reducing the risks of contamination, dangerous mixes and overdoses (Aldridge and D cary-H tu 2014). Furthermore, the virtual location implies a reduced violence compared to traditional street markets (Barratt et al. 2016; Van Hout & Bingham 2013). Finally, marketplace fora are supposed to create a non-judgemental environment, where people feel safe to discuss drug related issues (Buxton & Bingham 2015 p. 11).

Methods Data collection has been conducted on the base of the substances categorization included under the item "drugs" on AlphaBay, which also includes NPS, prescribed drugs and steroids. The 10 most visited and commented threads (conversations) were selected for each category of drugs presents on the market. -> Cannabis, Opioids, Ecstasy, Cocaine, Stimulants, Benzos, Psychedelics, Dissociatives, Prescription, Drugs safety Sample made of 100 conversations Abductive approach (theory and data driven) (Timmermans & Tavory 2012) Template model analysis (King 2007)

Results - a first rough coding No. Code Explanation % quotations Information about the precautions to be taken in order to make a secure purchase, without getting caught by the police Info about security 172 35,4 Info about vendors Information about reliability of vendors 166 34,2 Conversations in which consumers ask where to buy the substance Where to buy 46 9,5 How to prepare Conversations about how to produce any substances 41 8,4 References to the fear of being caught by relatives or policemen Concerns 25 5,1 How to use Conversations about how to consume any substances 17 3,5 Info about drugs Info about price General information about substances Information about prices 11 8 2,3 1,6

Results concern about vendors The reliability of vendors seems to be the second main concern among the marketplace members, despite the ranking service. Indeed reviews seem to be not fully reliable, since they can be written by buyers for their own interest new vendors offer free tastes in change of good reviews. It seems that some vendors are able to make false reviews. Furthermore, despite escrow is formally guaranteed by the marketplace, somebody seems able to finalize the financial transaction before the delivery is concluded. While a controversy is under process which can take a long time buyers cannot receive their bit coins back. B: Firstly trust nobody on any market. You would have to be completely stupid to trust total strangers that are selling you drugs.

Results concern about vendors Negative reviews can be also written by another vendor, in order to promote his own products. Competition between vendors seem to be hard and not always fair This originates lots of quarrels V: You left me a negative feedback trying to ruin my reputation and advertise for yourself. I do not want you to "feel the heat of competion". You will never be able to compete with the quality product and service I offer, period.

Concern about quality The marketplace users are concerned also for the poor quality of the substance a concept that can deal with reliability, purity, potency, and predictability of effects (Bancroft and Reid 2016). In fact, buyers do not always get what they have ordered, and effects are not always those expected. E.g. are mentioned cases where instead of amphetamine or speed, they have received RCs, which are considered a scam B: The dominoes were garbage ( ) I threw most of them out because I felt so gross for two days or so after I took them. I would guess it's some kind of RC amphetamine blend. No euphoria to speak of, just sweaty creeper watching porn all night type thing.

Quarrels betsween buyers and vendors Many buyers complain to have been ripped off in several ways, possibly entailing severe risks - Different substances/Mix of substances - Not delivery - Delivery times (withdrawal, e.g. Fent) - Quantity (concentration close to the lethal dose, e.g. Fent and NBOMe) Therefore, quarrels between buyers and vendors include insults and heated clashes. B1: I am what I would consider 'highly experienced' in opiate use & this was not a straight opiate. It tasted a little like cocaine and ketamine mixed together.( ). It simply tried to kill me. I was throwing up violently and lost so much fluid that I was cramping up and struggling to walk for a week... I had a girl with me that took a key bump..literally a fucking key bump and she overdosed.( ) She had to get hit with 2 doses of Narcan to come back. One of the scariest situations I've ever been in and the EMS said that my friend was on the brink of serious brain trauma & death.

Distrust Because of a generalised distrust, disputes can arise even between buyers themselves,. I mean fuck...dude, take a step back and realize I wasn't trying to shake my finger at you. Just trying to fucking help, even if it wasn't *IN THIS CASE* needed. It's called a community and we should look out for each other. Not get our panties in a wad because of that...just saying dude. You seem paranoid, and upset. Forgive me for trying to be a decent guy and dealing with you. When a buyer needs to get deeper information about drugs, often the advice is to go on specific forums on the Clearnet, such as Reddit.

Stigma Though the marketplace forum is specifically dedicated to people who use drugs, stigmatisation is not absent. Different types of consumers take the distance and criticise other forum members. E.g., users of hallucinogens distance themselves from recreational users , opioid users and NPS users. Users perceive to be stigmatised even by vendors! This is reported about opioids users and users of synthetic cannabinoids. B: Other vendors treat us like shit because they probably think we're assholes who are just one dose away from death. V: I can deal with the average messages of people with product I have but damn synthetic addicts for real bad as heroin users)

Conclusion If we define harm reduction as a form of interaction that enable an informed drug user to feel supported and develop a sense of belonging (Vale Pires et al. 2016) it seems from our analysis that this definition does not entirely apply to marketplace fora. Sympathy and solidarity between buyers are not obvious, since also users can be stigmatised by other buyers and even by vendors. The presence of differently experienced and consumers profiles (drug categories users) does not favour the sense of community as it happens e.g. in fora on the Clear net dedicated to psychonauts . There is not enough trust among users so as to make it a really community where people are eager to help each other.

B: The thing is, this place is like the jungle. You are willingly B: The thing is, this place is like the jungle. You are willingly coming to and participating in an environment where coming to and participating in an environment where there is no law, you need to look out for yourself. There are there is no law, you need to look out for yourself. There are no rules here, and nobody gives you any guarantees. You no rules here, and nobody gives you any guarantees. You come here of your own free will knowing the potential come here of your own free will knowing the potential hazards. hazards.

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