Revolving Roles in Drug-Related Crime: The Cost of Chronic Drug Users as Victims and Perpetrators

Numerous studies have established a strong connection between the use of illicit drugs and the commission of other illegal activities, including both predatory and property crimes. No study, however, has examined the cost of crimes associated with drug users both as victims and as perpetrators. In the present study, recent data were analyzed from a targeted sample of chronic drug users (CDUs) and a matched sample of non-drug users (NDUs) in Miami-Dade County, Florida, to estimate the incremental cost of crime associated with CDU. Two separate models were employed to estimate (1) the probability of being a victim or a perpetrator of crime and (2) the cost of crime for both situations. The cost measures were transformed to reduce the influence of extreme outliers, and a smearing technique was used to compare the cost of crime for CDUs relative to NDUs. The findings illustrate that criminal activity among CDUs is circular, extensive, and costly. Implications for law enforcement, criminal justice policy, and substance abuse treatment are discussed.     

中小学毒品预防教育的困惑与出路——以贵州为个案进行研究

对青少年学生进行毒品预防教育是禁毒教育的重要组成部分,是有效开展禁毒斗争的基础性工作.目前中小学毒品预防教育中存在的问题有:学校主渠道作用没有充分发挥,"三大差别"难以消除,"两专"没有保障,学校与家庭、社区的合力没有形成.对此,必须采取相应措施,增强学校毒品预防教育的主动性,提高中小学生的防毒拒毒意识.     

积极开展对青少年禁毒的健康教育

本文论述了毒吕犯罪是当今世界的头号社会问题 ,当前我国青少年吸毒的主要特点、原因、危害 ,及广泛地、积极的开展禁毒健康教育的重要性。     

Introduction: market adaptations,interventions and daily experience

This special issue illuminates diverse realities of post-Soviet development in Central Asia through a multidisciplinary prism. The contributing articles are grounded in a range of social science disciplines including architecture, anthropology and geography, as well as drawing from mainstream social sciences. The analyses demonstrate how a synthesis of specialist knowledge from area studies and individual disciplinary methodologies can provide well-grounded critical positions on development.     

Headspace‐Gas Chromatographic‐Mass Spectrometric Analysis of South American Commercial Solvents and their Use in the Illicit Conversion of Cocaine Base to Cocaine Hydrochloride

This study presents data that establish the makeup of solvents utilized in illicit cocaine hydrochloride production, as determined via the identification of the occluded solvents in the crystal matrix of the final product. The occluded solvent ratios can differ dramatically from the ratios of the original processing solvents. Additionally, the presented data suggest the diversion of commercial solvents to illicit cocaine hydrochloride laboratories. Thirty‐five commercial solvents were obtained from five chemical manufacturing companies in South America. Each solvent was qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed using static headspace‐gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (HS‐GC‐MS). After obtaining the chemical profile for each commercial solvent, solvents and/or solvent mixtures were prepared to be comparable in composition to several of the commercial products. Over 90 individual batches of cocaine hydrochloride were prepared from cocaine base using these solvents or solvent mixtures, which match those most commonly employed in clandestine laboratories. Additionally, a number of unique manufacturing by‐products produced from processing solvents were identified, and their significance is discussed.     

The Importance of Microscopic Examination of the Lungs in Decedents with Sustained Central Intravascular Catheters: A Nine‐Case Series

Indwelling intravascular catheters provide convenient access to healthcare personnel and also recreational intravenous drug users who inject suspensions of oral medications. A nine‐case series of autopsies of clinically stable decedents with indwelling catheters and sudden death is herein presented. Pulmonary histologic findings were consistent with intravenous administration of oral medications in all cases. In eight, the mechanism of death was directly attributed to occlusive vascular embolization of foreign material, with or without contribution of acute drug toxicity. In one, the mechanism of death was solely attributed to acute drug toxicity. Acute, massive embolization of foreign material may explain sudden death by vascular obstruction, whereas chronic repeated injections lead to obliteration of the pulmonary vasculature, increased pulmonary vascular resistance, and cardiac failure. Therefore, a complete autopsy with histologic examination of the lungs and toxicology testing is recommended in patients with indwelling catheters to determine the cause and mechanism of death.     

海峡两岸打击跨境毒品犯罪司法协助中的困境与展望[1]

随着两岸关系的正常化和常态化,两岸的刑事司法协助也从单一的个案协作发展为具有规范意义的条约化模式以及条约指导下的多层次协作。囿于两岸关系的影响因素较为复杂,对于刑事司法协助的定位、指向以及适用范围自然存有分歧。在两岸交流规模愈发频繁,程度日益加深的当下,毒品犯罪的跨境化已成为两岸司法机关亟须共同面对的问题。海峡两岸面临的毒情形势有较大差异,司法协助的需求内容各有不同,因此,对于加深司法协助与合作的程度,创新司法协助的手段与模式,应当成为两岸合作打击跨境毒品犯罪的重要课题。     

Identification of the veterinary sedative medetomidine in combination with opioids and xylazine in Maryland

Public health, public safety, and forensic science personnel continue to face the emergence of new compounds into the drug market. While focus is often put on the detection of new analogs of known illicit drugs, monitoring the changes in cutting agents and other compounds can be equally as important. Over the last year, near real-time monitoring of the drug supply in Maryland has been completed through a public health–public safety partnership whereby residue from suspected drug packaging or used paraphernalia is collected and analyzed. Through this project, we have recently detected the presence of the veterinary sedative medetomidine in a small number of samples. The presence of medetomidine has been identified in both public health and law enforcement samples and in the presence of fentanyl and xylazine—another veterinary sedative that has been widely observed over the last year. While the rate at which medetomidine has been detected remains low, it is concerning and worthy of continued monitoring.     

Emergence of fentanyl-related deaths in Travis County,Texas and surrounding areas: A retrospective review of postmortem fentanyl-related drug toxicities from 2020 to 2022

The opioid epidemic has affected the United States (US) for decades with fentanyl and its analogs accounting for a recent surge in morbidity and mortality. Currently, there is a relative lack of information characterizing fentanyl-related fatalities specifically in the Southern US. A retrospective study was conducted to examine all postmortem fentanyl-related drug toxicities in Travis County, Texas, encompassing Austin (one of the fastest-growing cities in the US), from 2020 to 2022. Fentanyl contributed to 2.6% and 12.2% of deaths submitted for toxicology between 2020 and 2022, respectively, representing a 375% increase in fentanyl-related deaths over this 3-year period (n = 517). Fentanyl-related fatalities primarily occurred in males in their mid-30s. Fentanyl and norfentanyl concentrations ranged from 0.58 to 320 ng/mL and 0.53 to 140 ng/mL with mean (median) concentrations of 17.2 ± 25.0 (11.0) and 5.6 ± 10.9 (2.9) ng/mL, respectively. Polydrug use was present in 88% of cases, with methamphetamine (or other amphetamines) (25%), benzodiazepines (21%), and cocaine (17%) representing the most frequently identified concurrent substances. Co-positivity rates of various drugs and drug classes widely varied over time. Scene investigations reported illicit powder(s) (n = 141) and/or illicit pill(s) (n = 154) in 48% (n = 247) of fentanyl-related deaths. Illicit oxycodone (44%, n = 67) and illicit “Xanax” (38%, n = 59) pills were frequently reported on scene; however, toxicology only identified oxycodone and alprazolam in 2 and 24 of these cases, respectively. The results of this study provide a better understanding of the fentanyl epidemic in this region creating an opportunity to promote increased awareness, shift focus to harm reduction, and aid in minimizing public health risks.     

我国禁毒立法的历史演进（1949—1998）

我国禁毒立法秉承了自晚清以来三次禁毒运动的成果,并且以革命根据地时期禁毒的立法实践为历史渊源。1949年至1978年间,禁毒立法以中国共产党和各级政府的相关政策、文件为主要法律形式,以各大行政区的立法为重心。1979年至1998年间,以"严打"为政策导向,逐渐建立了以刑法为主、行政法与地方立法为辅的禁毒立法体系,主要法律形式有刑事法律、行政法律、行政法规、部门规章及其他规范性文件、"两高"司法文件、批准、签署的反毒国际公约和条约、地方性立法及其他规范性文件、民族自治地方的立法等。1998年以后,禁毒政策和立法都出现了一些新动向。