Theorizing Novel and Emerging Drug Use: A Motivational Typology

ABSTRACT

Novel and emerging psychoactive drugs (NEPDs), a research-based classification referencing a wide range of natural plant-derived substances and synthetic compounds, have garnered considerable academic attention in recent years. Most of the scientific literature on NEPDs presents definitional overviews of specific substances in terms of their chemical composition and toxicology or socio-legal commentary. This study presents a motivational typology of NEPD use derived from interview data from a sample of offenders participating in jail-based drug treatment. Findings indicate four primary motives for NEPD use (experimentation, drug alternative, peer influence, and availability) and inform discussion for additional research and policy implications.

Additional information

Funding

This project was sponsored by Grant No. [2011-RW-BX-0008] and [2011-RN-BX0004] awarded by the US Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the Delaware County (OH) Sheriff’s Office or the U.S. Department of Justice.

Notes on contributors

J. Mitchell Miller

J. MITCHELL MILLER is a Professor in the Criminology & Criminal Justice Department at the University of North Florida where he teaches and conducts research on drugs and crime, offender treatment, and program evaluation. Dr. Miller is the Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Criminal Justice and a Past President of the Southern Criminal Justice Association. Currently, he is engaged in US BJA sponsored research-practitioner partnerships to plan and implement collaborative police and mental health interventions targeting offenders with co-occurring conditions.

HOLLY VENTURA MILLER is an Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of North Florida, a former National Institute of Justice W.E.B. DuBois Fellow, and a Past President of the Southern Criminal Justice Association. Her research interests include program evaluation, immigration and crime, and correctional policy. Her recent work has appeared in Criminology & Public Policy, Criminal Justice and Behavior, and Journal of Criminal Justice.

TAYLOR L. CLAXTON is a master’s student in the Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice at the University of North Florida. Her research interests include police-community relations, sexual victimization, and program evaluation. Currently, she is the Managing Editor of the American Journal of Criminal Justice.