Until very recently, Colombia was the only country in the world that still permitted the eradication of illicit crops –primarily coca and to a lesser extent, opium poppies— through aerial fumigation. It was a controversial practice for a number of reasons, chiefly the damage caused to plants, animals, and people living in or near fumigated areas. A favored tactic in the U.S.-supported War on Drugs, aerial eradication actually contributed to the spread of illicit crops to increasingly remote areas of Colombia, such as the collectively titled lands of both indigenous and black communities. Concerns about the practice of aerial eradication, however, appeared completely disconnected from the positive framing of the policy and guidelines governing its implementation. Employing mixed methods, both ethnographic and cartographic, this dissertation examines how these contradictory discourses —aerial eradication explained by officials involved in its operation versus described locally by people living in or near fumigated areas— materialized in 2015, the last year the aerial eradication program was in operation. This study engages critical social science theory to deconstruct dominant conceptualizations of territoriality, geopolitics and environmental conservation, while at the same time proposing alternative understandings of those concepts grounded in local experiences. This research finds that aerial eradication authorities overstated the accuracy of aerial eradication operations by: 1) downplaying the incidence of pilots spraying legal crops, 2) invalidating local reports on the effects of aerial eradication, and 3) requiring technical evidence far beyond the means of poor rural Colombian farmers. Furthermore, in the specific context of the collectively titled black communities of the Pacific region, aerial eradication authorities did not respect the right to previous consultation per Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention 169. This dissertation concludes that that aerial eradication —justified by notions of security and environmental conservation that had little to do with black communities of the Pacific region— operated as a means of displacement. This displacement was literal in the sense that aerial eradication made life difficult for people to live in affected communities and figurative because local knowledge was pushed aside in favor of the external interpretations of the effects of this counternarcotics policy.

BACKGROUND: Economists depict illicit markets as violent, due to the lack of centralized property rights enforcement. At the same time, the importance of friendship networks and drug sharing is a recently documented feature of the marijuana market. Recent studies show an increased role of acquiring marijuana through friends, especially in settings where drug policy is rather punitive. This thesis extends this research into the norms that marijuana users attribute to their definition friendship. To do this, the thesis conceptualizes friendship as a type of institution that reduces the transaction costs on the market, and like that, it limits the decision making of marijuana market players. DATA: Marijuana market patterns in the Czech Republic and North-Central Florida were analyzed via both qualitative and quantitative research methods. For the purpose of the qualitative study, 44 (resp 66) study participants were marijuana users and retailers recruited at North-Central Florida (resp in the Czech Republic), with the use of respondent-driven sampling. Inclusion criteria into the study was the use of marijuana in the last 12 months. Semi-structured interviews, that took 80 minutes on average, followed an interview guide focused on marijuana use, sharing, purchases, sales and growing, with extensive probes on activities of respondents` "friends", as they defined them. As for the quantitative data, marijuana market modules from two representative general population surveys on substance use were used (CS 2008, NSDUH). METHODS: Qualitative data were analysed with the use of inductive analysis, and were framed into institutional economics theory. Quantitative data were analyzed with the use ordinary logit models. FINDINGS: The study has shown remarkable impact of drug policies on cannabis markets via comparison between the Czech Republic and the U. S. (North-Central Florida). The study findings suggest that users' definitions of friendship include expectations for behavior that sustain the distribution chain within the marijuana markets. Respondents provided definitions of friendship that contained norms on marijuana sharing and reciprocation, purchases for friends, and introduction to the dealer - for whom the term "friend" has been used as a synonym in most cases. In quantitative analysis, acquistion through a friend made significant reduction of price at last purchase in the U. S., approaving the hypothesis that friendship can be an effective institution to reduce transaction costs on the market. In the Czech Republic, such analysis was inconclusive. This demonstrates that the importance of friendship might be higher in countries where drug prohibition is more severe. CONCLUSIONS: Punitive drug policy provides incentives to shrinking the market into social networks, and like that, it imposes harms on users in terms of decreasing control over their substance use can criminal risks (larger amounts purchased, and the risk of detection to regular citizens, who serve as middlemen on the market without an intention to make profit). For more precise estimates, further surveys shall distinguish between different modalities of friendship, and between different product types.

This diploma thesis describes the origins of harm reduction (HR) in the Czech drug policy. It focuses on the role of HR in national strategies and the development of syringe and needle program and substitution treatment. The aim of the thesis is to describe and explain how the HR approach was developed in the Czech environment. Using the framework of policy diffusion, the author explains the mechanisms by which harm reduction was transferred from abroad. Thesis describes the history of drug policy and the development of the harm reduction approach in the world. This information forms the context in which the author advocates HR development in the Czech Republic's drug policy after 1989. By analysing expert texts and expert interviews she explains how the first national strategies were formed in which HR has been included since 1993. Similarly, it deals with the beginnings of syringe exchange, which has been in operation since 1986, and substitution treatment that was first used in 1992 and has been officially operational since 1997. The mechanisms of diffusion of HR from abroad to the Czech Republic are defined. In all three areas, the mechanism of learning is defined. Substitution treatment and national strategies are also defined by the mechanism of emulation. To a lesser extent, a mechanism of...

Den här studien undersöker argument som tas upp i debatten om narkotikabruket. Studiens fokus ligger på argumenten som upprätthåller kriminaliseringen av narkotikabruk. Det finns inga substantiella evidens för att den här kriminaliseringen har haft den effekt som var tänkt, men regeringen har uttryckt att de inte vill utreda frågan. Enligt sociologerna Èmile Durkheim och Randall Collins finns det en social nödvändighet av brott; brottsligheten är en naturlig funktion av ett regelstyrt samhälle. Brottslighet aktualiseras genom kriminaliseringar och fungerar som moralbildande genom att det stärker de normativa övertygelserna hos de individer i samhället som inte begår brott. På så sätt handlar lagar, brott och straff mer om att stärka sammanhållningen i samhället än om att straffa brottslingar. Den här studien använder en kritisk diskursanalytisk metod - Norman Faircloughs argumentationsanalys och dialektala utvärdering - för att analysera argument från tre nutida samhällsdebatter, hämtade från SVT och Youtube, och förklara deras moraliska funktioner. Resultatet visar att argumenten som legitimerar kriminaliseringen av narkotikabruk inte är logiska. Dessa argument avfärdar det som motstrider dem samtidigt som de rättfärdigar sig själva på godtyckliga grunder. Argumenten verkar heller inte anta ett opersonligt förhållningssätt till eventuella problematiseringar med kriminaliseringen och dess effekter, utan verkar i första hand syfta till att upprätthålla de moraliska och politiska övertygelserna bakom kriminaliseringen. / This study explores the arguments stated about drug use in public debates, in particular arguments that perpetuate the criminalization of drug use. Even though there aren't any substantial evidence that the criminalization of drug use has had the effect it was intended to have, the Swedish government has stated that they don't intend to evaluate this matter. According to sociologists Èmile Durkheim och Randall Collins there's a social necessity of crime; delinquency is a natural phenomenon in a policy regulated society. Crime reinforces the moral standards within noncriminal individuals by operating as a moral producing idea. Laws, crime and punishment aren't as much about punishing the perpetrator per se, but more about emphasizing and reinforcing social sentiments and solidarity. By using critical discourse analysis - Norman Fairclough's argumentation analysis och dialectical evaluation - this study analyzes arguments from three contemporary public debates, from SVT and Youtube, and tries to explain their moral functions. The result shows that the arguments upholding the criminalization of drug use aren't logical. These arguments reject counterclaims whilst justifying themselves on arbitrary grounds. Moreover, the arguments aren't seemingly based on objectivity regarding the problematizations surrounding the criminalization of drug use and its effects, but seem to primarily enforce the moral and political ideology behind the criminalization itself.

Earlier research shows that persons who inject drugs are in heightened need of healthcare and medical assistance. But research has also shown that it can be difficult for them to receive care and assistance due to their circumstances. Sweden has a long history of restrictive drug policy and practice. This has affected how care for drug users has been managed and formed. In recent years, due to a change in the Swedish legislation, it has become easier to establish needle exchange programs. As a result, there has been an increase in the number of needle exchange programs during the last five years. The aim of this study was to examine the harm reducing work that is done within the swedish needle exchange program. For this, the study primarily focused on how the staff perceived harm reduction work, its possibilities and difficulties. The data was collected through four semistructured interviews with staff at needle exchanges in Sweden. The participants were either nurses or counselors, working at either newer or more established needle exchanges. The data was coded into the following themes; Reduction of harm- and transmission of infectious diseases, The outlook on drug abuse and The importance of treatment and relations. The results show that harm reduction is perceived to be a pragmatic alternative to the traditional care of drug users by the staff. The participants do stress that needle exchange programs by themselves aren't enough to reduce the harms of addiction. The results also highlight the importance of the relational- and emotional work, which is a real factor for effective harm reduction work. By developing trust and relations, the target groups' needs are both easier expressed and met at needle exchanges.

Sweden’s drug policy still invokes the ideas of zero-tolerance and prohibition despite the high reported number of drug-related deaths and arrest rates for using drugs in Sweden in the latest years. To reach knowledge about why prohibition of illegal drugs has remained such a strong staple of Swedish politics for the latest 60 years, this study asks questions about which ideas and arguments constituting the Swedish drug policy, examines the logical coherence of these, and proposes an alternative policy route which aims to mitigate the shortcomings of the current policy. The drug policy field is extensive and studies from different nations show that drug policies that move away from prohibitionist ideas have succeeded in both reducing drug-related mortality rates and reducing the stigma that is attached to either using or abusing psychoactive drugs. Because of an identified unclarity of why the prohibitionary ideas in Sweden have remained despite recent developments, this study aims to fill a gap in existing research by normatively analyzing the ideas in the policy. Since these ideas have great importance in restrictions of individual liberty and public health considerations, knowledge about them is essential to create because liberty and public health are fundamental aspects in any democratic society. The research endeavor performs an internal validity check as the methodological approach to check the internal logic and arguments of the policy and uses a theory of liberty to shed light on the trade-offs between liberty and public health. What is discovered is that the Swedish drug policy builds on inconsistent arguments and incoherent logic and has a moralizing intent that allows for restrictions on individual liberty to reach a utopian vision of a drug-free society. Also, this study shows that it is possible to create a policy that can mitigate the harms caused by the current by adhering to the principle that individual liberty should stretch as far as possible when no harm is caused to another. The implications of this are that it will be harder to justify the zero-tolerance approach in the future and that future policy must look to other policy approaches rather than build policy on assumptions based on outdated moralism.

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The Swedish death rate related to narcotics is amongst the highest within the EU. The purpose of this study is to use process tracing while investigating and understanding the high death rate among people who use narcotics in Sweden. The focus is on whether the Swedish drug policy is driven by morals instead of scientific proof and asks whether morals are the main cause of the high death rate in Sweden. The study utilizes the “threshold theory” and the theory of “symbolic politics.” To do this the following questions are being answered: “How has the Swedish zero tolerance towards narcotics looked like since the 1970s until present day?” and “are there any signs to proof that the Swedish drug policy is driven more by morals than by scientific evidence, and if so, what are they?” The study also tests the hypothesis that the high death rate is related to the restrictive drug policy in Sweden. In order to answer this the study collects data and regulations from different time periods in Sweden thru a qualitative method. The study confirms that the Swedish drug policy is driven by moral while overlooking scientific proof and it is also likely that the hypothesis of the study is true.

This thesis examines the violence in Colombia caused by the drug trade and the state’s responses to it. Colombia’s transformative “Política Nacional de Drogas 2023-2033” (PND) (National Drug Policy 2023-2033) was subjected to a poststructural discourse analysis, the “What’s the Problem Represented to be?” approach. The policy bases its approach on the Human Security concept, placing the focus on the underlying structural causes of the drug trade. Lack of peace and environmental degradation were identified as the policy’s principal problem representations. The PND is informed by the presuppositions that social vulnerabilities drive the Colombian drug trade and that a narrative change concerning drugs is imperative. Large discursive gaps were identified relating to the feasibility of the proposed paradigm shift and the state’s ability to accomplish the transition from illicit to licit crop cultivation. The problem representations produce potentially harmful effects on vulnerable communities, and they gained dominance through a history of failed anti-drug policies. This research contributes to the literature on drug policies by providing insights into implicit narratives and power relations shaping Colombia’s current drug policy.

A utilização do serviço de saúde, que inclui a cobertura do gasto com medicamentos e a vacinação, são fatores importantes no controle do diabetes mellitus. O estudo teve como objetivos estimar a prevalência de diabetes mellitus no município de São Paulo e descrever a utilização de serviços de saúde, incluindo a vacinação, utilização, gasto e cobertura do gasto com medicamentos na população adulta do município de São Paulo em 2003 que refere ser portadora da doença. Os dados foram coletados pelo Inquérito Multicêntrico de Saúde de São Paulo (ISA-Capital), estudo transversal realizado por meio de entrevistas domiciliares de base populacional. Foram estudadas as características sociodemográficas e de condições de vida e saúde, a presença de outras doenças, o controle do diabetes, a utilização dos serviços de saúde, a vacinação pelo serviço público, a utilização, cobertura e gastos com medicamentos na população de ambos os sexos, maior de 20 anos e que refere ser portadora de diabetes. Foram realizadas análises descritivas e também estimativas de prevalências e calculadas as razões de prevalência para diabetes autorreferida por meio da regressão de Poisson. A prevalência de diabetes autorreferida na população foi 5,0%, sendo maior na população com 60 anos ou mais, que exerce atividade remunerada e com avaliação negativa da saúde. Foi estimada alta prevalência de indivíduos que referem hipertensão arterial, depressão e outras doenças crônicas na população estudada. A maioria da população relatou utilizar regularmente o serviço de saúde para controle do diabetes. A utilização de medicamentos, de grande importância no controle da doença, esteve associada a não exercer atividade remunerada. A vacinação foi realizada principalmente por intermédio do serviço público. Na cobertura do gasto com medicamentos essenciais houve participação significativa do setor privado e foi maior na população com avaliação negativa da saúde. Sabendo-se da importância de informações para o delineamento do serviço de saúde, e da necessidade de maior aplicação dos dados epidemiológicos nas políticas públicas, a investigação dos fatores envolvidos na utilização dos serviços de saúde, como foi realizada no presente estudo, pode contribuir para pesquisadores e profissionais na formulação de políticas, visando ao acesso universal ao serviço de saúde, que inclui cobertura vacinal e a equidade no acesso a medicamentos / Health Services Accessibility, Immunization and Access to medicines are important factors in diabetes mellitus control. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in São Paulo city and to describe the use of health services, Immunization and use of medicines in adult population of São Paulo in 2003 who reported diabetes mellitus. Data were collected by the Multicenter Survey of Health of São Paulo (ISACapital), population-based study. We studied sociodemographic characteristics and health conditions, presence of other chronic diseases, diabetes control, use of health services, Immunization, utilization, coverage, and spending with medicines in the population who reported diabetes in both sexes, older than 20 years of age. Descriptive analysis and prevalence estimates and prevalence ratios for diabetes were calculated by Poisson regression. Prevalence of diabetes was 5.0%, higher in the population aged 60 or older, who wasnt working and with negative evaluation of health. High prevalence of individuals with high blood pressure, depression and other chronic diseases was estimated in the study population. The use of medicine, very important in diabetes mellitus control, was associated with individuals above 60 years of age and who werent working. Immunization was mainly provided by public health service. In essential medicines coverage there was a large participation of the private sector and was higher in the population with negative evaluation of health. The information is very important for the design of the health service and the necessary application of epidemiological data on Public Health. The investigation of factors in the use of Health Services, as was done in this study, may contribute to policies aimed at universal access to health services, including immunization coverage and equity in access to medicines