In the last few years, the prevalence of legal party pills in New Zealand has risen dramatically. These pills contain new piperazine designer drugs, two of the more common being 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP) and m-trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine (TFMPP). This thesis describes an optimised LC-MS/MS method for the detection of BZP and TFMPP in whole blood, using an automated solid phase extraction (SPE) for sample clean-up. The method was validated on three different days using five replicate samples each day. The standard curve was linear from 7 - 7000 ng/mL for BZP and 10 - 10,000 ng/mL for TFMPP, with coefficients of variation (CV) below 10%, and accuracy greater than 90% for both drugs. The method was used to quantitate samples provided by the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand. Blood levels were used to show concentrations in the blood over time, and relate these to performance of subjects on a driving simulator. The study was stopped after 41% of the participants who received BZP and TFMPP had adverse reactions to the pills, including vomiting and migraines. The LC-MS/MS method was also used to detect and quantitate methamphetamine, amphetamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine, methylenedioxyamphetamine, morphine, codeine and 6-monoacetylmorphine in hair. The drugs were extracted from 20 mg of hair using hydrochloric acid in a water bath overnight, then purified using SPE. Validation on three days with five replicate samples gave coefficients of variation (CV) below 12% and acceptable accuracy for all drugs. The method was tested on three samples, previously reported by Environmental Science and Research (ESR) using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) giving results in good agreement. This thesis describes a sensitive, accurate, reproducible LC-MS/MS method easily adapted to analyse drugs of abuse in different biological matrices. It demonstrates the versatility of LC-MS/MS and its applications in forensic work.

The main goal is to identify the prevalence and pattern of cocaine consumption among young people. The results obtained from surveys of a sample of 2139 university students served as input to harness new results through the personal interviews of a reduced sample of young people. The 81.1% of the students have never tried cocaine, 15.1% claim to have used it without considering themselves as consumers and 2.8% say they have stopped using it. Male respondents had a more frequent pattern of experimental consumption. The influence of social siblings is a crucial factor and habitual cocaine use is more frequent among those who experimented more precociously with this drug. The sporadic use of cocaine is not perceived as problematic behaviour. These results show the need to delay the age at which young people first consume cocaine as long as possible and to properly inform them of the risks associated with cocaine consumption. / L’objectiu general és conèixer la prevalença i el patró de consum de cocaïna entre els joves. Els resultats obtinguts a traves de 2139 enquestes fetes a estudiants universitaris han servit com a input per a potenciar l’obtenció de noves dades mitjançant entrevistes realitzades a una mostra reduïda de joves. El 81.1% dels estudiants mai han provat la cocaïna, un 15,1% declaren haver-la utilitzat sense considerar-se consumidors i un 2,8% afirmen haver deixat l’ús d’aquesta substancia. S’observa un patró de consum experimental més freqüent en els nois. La influència social d’amics i germans resulta ser una variable clau en aquest tipus de consum. L’ús habitual de cocaïna és més freqüent entre aquells que la van provar per primer cop més aviat. L’ús esporàdic de cocaïna no es percep com a problemàtic. Aquests resultats mostren la necessitat de retardar l’edat del primer consum de cocaïna i informar degudament dels riscos associats al seu consum.

Submitted by Cássia Santos (cassia.bcufg@gmail.com) on 2016-05-31T08:59:38Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Tatiana Oliveira Novais - 2015.pdf: 7162846 bytes, checksum: 97e79642dfa2e930c29cee6211f559a9 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-05-31T10:43:18Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Tatiana Oliveira Novais - 2015.pdf: 7162846 bytes, checksum: 97e79642dfa2e930c29cee6211f559a9 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-31T10:43:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Tatiana Oliveira Novais - 2015.pdf: 7162846 bytes, checksum: 97e79642dfa2e930c29cee6211f559a9 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-25 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás - FAPEG / The Historical Site and Cultural Heritage Kalunga (HSCHK) is located at northeastern of Goiás, including areas of the following cities, Cavalcante, Monte Alegre and Teresina de Goiás. The Kalunga community is the largest quilombo of Brazil, by the difficulty of access, it still preserves centenarians habits such as, prays in Latin, own words, ways of living and endogamous marriages, forming large clans. Cavalcante holds 60% of HSCHK. Its "discovery" took place in the 1980s, by the anthropologist Mari Baiocchi. The Kalunga people arouses much curiosity and is the focus of many institutional actions, entities, among others. However, they live in precarious conditions of sanitation, poor access, poor infrastructure, low educational levels and social vulnerability. Despite many studies, from different areas, still there was no research on the use of alcohol and other drugs as well as their care networks. This study considered racism and repression around the drugs as a form of biopower. A nature applied and empirical research was performed. For this work, it was fundamental a partnership with state and municipal government agencies and the Federal University of Goiás, as well as leaders, forming a network. A process of immersion and approach to the territory and the community was held. Were performed: visits to HSCHK, meetings with leaders and representatives of local and state government, focal groups with the Community Health Agents (ACS), a course a questionnaire applied by the ACS at the community, interviews, network mapping and collective elaboration of harm reduction actions in the community traditional festivals, constituting as a participant action research. The data suggest that the habit of drinking is associated with the male, Catholic religion, and those who participate in the Kalunga parties. Alcoholic beverages are present in key moments of the Kalunga life, from his birth to death, in celebrations that mark the passage of time, the traditional practices of care as the root beverages preparations, and income generation. Smoking had a positive relationship with age and low education, they still preserve the habit of pipe smoking and snuff use, which is called Simonte. The participation in the parties is part of a community identity, lasting five days and with ritualistic practices. They are important spaces for care actions and harm reduction, developed by the community and by the entities involved. Due to its characteristics, and the social capital of this territory, there are possibilities to actualize a care network with actions aimed to technological development, considering enhancing and respecting local knowledge. From this work was consolidated the Kalunga Network, formed by researchers, institutional actors and people in the community. / O Sítio Histórico e Patrimônio Cultural Kalunga (SHPCK) está situado na região nordeste do estado de Goiás, abrange os municípios de Cavalcante, Monte Alegre e Teresina de Goiás. A comunidade Kalunga é a maior comunidade quilombola do Brasil, pela dificuldade de acesso ainda preserva hábitos centenários, como rezas em latim, palavras, modos de viver e casamentos endogâmicos, formando grandes clãs. Cavalcante abriga 60% do SHPCK. Sua “descoberta” se deu na década de 1980, pela antropóloga Mari Baiocchi. O povo Kalunga desperta muita curiosidade e é foco de inúmeras ações institucionais, de entidades etc. Porém, vivem em precárias condições de saneamento básico, dificuldade de acesso, infraestrutura, baixa escolaridade e situação de vulnerabilidade social. Apesar dos vários estudos, de diferentes áreas, ainda não havia uma pesquisa sobre o uso de álcool e outras drogas, bem como suas redes de cuidado. Este trabalho levou em consideração o racismo e a repressão em torno das drogas, como forma de biopoder. Foi realizada uma pesquisa de natureza aplicada e empírica. Para a realização deste trabalho foi fundamental a parceria com os órgãos governamentais estaduais e municipais e da Universidade Federal de Goiás, bem como as lideranças, constituindo uma rede. Foi realizado um processo de imersão e aproximação do território e da comunidade. Foram realizadas: visitas ao SHPCK, reuniões com lideranças e representantes do poder público local e estadual, grupo focal com os Agentes Comunitários de Saúde (ACS), realização de um curso, aplicação de um questionário pelos ACS na comunidade, entrevistas, mapeamento da rede e elaboração coletiva de ações de Redução de Danos nas festas tradicionais da comunidade, constituindo-se como uma pesquisa-ação participante. Os dados sugerem que o hábito de beber está associado ao sexo masculino, de religião católica, e os que participam das festas Kalunga. As bebidas alcoólicas estão presentes nos principais momentos da vida do Kalunga, do seu nascimento até a morte, nas festas que marcam a passagem do tempo, nas práticas tracionais do cuidado como as raizadas e na geração de renda. O hábito de fumar teve relação positiva com a velhice e baixa escolaridade, ainda preservam o hábito de fumar cachimbo e do uso de rapé, que era denominado de simonte. A participação das festas faz parte da identidade da comunidade, com a duração de cinco dias e com práticas ritualísticas. São espaços importantes para ações de cuidado e redução de danos, desenvolvidas pela própria comunidade e pelas entidades que participam. Devido às suas especificidades, e ao capital social deste território, há possibilidades de se efetivar uma rede de cuidado com ações voltadas para o desenvolvimento tecnológico, considerando, potencializando e respeitando o saber local. A partir deste trabalho foi consolidada a Rede Kalunga, formada por pesquisadores, atores institucionais e pessoas da comunidade.

There is a perception that drug use is a serious and growing problem to be solved by medicine, social work and drug enforcement agencies. This thesis takes a critical standpoint again such populist views and interprets drug use as one of any number of normal activities that people engage. This qualitative research utilising a bricoleur ethnographic methodology focuses on the drug taking of non-treatment seeking illegal drug users. The data reveals that they manage several social identities and the potential stigma of being discovered as an illicit user of illegal drugs utilising several strategies to remain intentionally unseen. The thesis explores how and in what way socially competent drug users differ from visible treatment seeking drug users. In order to develop this understanding, several gatekeepers were identified and within their social networks the participants were recruited into this research. The participants (n=24) were recruited from a wide range of age groups (21-52) and geographical locations within Scotland. One to one interviews, a focus group, and several pair bonded partners were interviewed together providing rich sources of data. Interviews were transcribed and analysed thematically from a social constructionist perspective. The findings illuminate the ways in which the intentionally unseen identify and manage risks from drugs, drugs policy and the potential shame and stigma were their hidden social worlds revealed. The practical implications of the results of this thesis are explored and recommendations for future research are discussed.