Ecstasy in the city: Synthetic drug markets in Europe

How do “new” drug markets develop and operate? Which are the characteristics of synthetic drug suppliers? How are they organized, owned and managed? This article summarizes the outcomes of a cross-national study which investigated three urban synthetic drug markets at a different stage of development: Amsterdam, Barcelona and Turin. The study – the first of this type in Europe – outlines a composite picture which clearly indicates the presence of rather flexible and dynamic actors and a quasi “free” drug economy. Hence, the role played by more structured, mafia-type organizations, even in Italy, needs to be reconceived. The wide use of primary sources, altogether the adoption of qualitative interpretative tools, contributed to shed some light on a phenomenon which is still poorly investigated both at national and international levels.