Hedden-Clayton Bethany, Comartin Erin, Carroll Jennifer J, Victor Grant, Pozo Brandon Del, Best Jessica, Ray Bradley
Wayne State University, Center for Behavioral Health & Justice, 5447 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48202, United States.
Wayne State University, School of Social Work, 5447 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48202, United States.
Int J Drug Policy. 2025 May;139:104774. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104774. Epub 2025 Mar 22.
A growing number of studies suggest that police efforts to disrupt illicit drug markets through the removal of illicit drugs can result in unintended harms to people who use drugs by increasing overdose risks. However, little is understood about the perceptions, expectations, or experiences of those who implement, experience, and/or are impacted by these seizure events.
We conducted semi-structured interviews (N = 54) with police, public health and local nonprofit professionals engaged in overdose prevention efforts, and people who use drugs (PWUD) in Indianapolis, Indiana-a city where drug seizures have been associated with excess overdose-to examine how each of these groups perceive these events. We use a journey mapping framework to analyze expectations for each of these personas around the shared scenario of drug seizures.
Law enforcement drug seizures are routine and are perceived by police as interconnected, longitudinal attempts to dismantle drug supply networks. Public health and local nonprofit professionals described potential harms stemming from drug seizures but reported lacking the shared information and inter-agency collaboration necessary to provide a meaningful response. PWUD reported negative health consequences and increased risk of overdose following drug seizure events. PWUD use multiple strategies to reduce perceived harms from drug seizures.
Seizing drugs whenever, wherever, or with whomever they are found has become an accepted policing practice in the United States, ostensibly to reduce risk of drug-related harms. This study offers a new perspective to the growing evidence that this standard practice may result in a myriad of negative public health outcomes for the community. Research, such as this, that engages the lived experiences and perceptions of directly impacted people, is essential for understanding and mitigating these harms. Those most impacted by drug seizures - PWUD - should be at the center of developing, implementing, and evaluating public health and harm reduction efforts to reduce the harms associated with drug seizures.
越来越多的研究表明，警方通过收缴非法药物来扰乱非法毒品市场的努力，可能会因增加过量用药风险而对吸毒者造成意想不到的伤害。然而，对于那些实施、经历和/或受到这些收缴事件影响的人的看法、期望或经历，我们了解甚少。
我们对印第安纳州印第安纳波利斯市参与过量用药预防工作的警察、公共卫生和当地非营利组织专业人员以及吸毒者（PWUD）进行了半结构化访谈（N = 54），该市的毒品收缴与过量用药过量有关，以研究这些群体如何看待这些事件。我们使用旅程映射框架来分析这些角色在毒品收缴这一共同场景下的期望。
执法部门的毒品收缴是常规操作，警方认为这是为瓦解毒品供应网络而进行的相互关联的长期努力。公共卫生和当地非营利组织专业人员描述了毒品收缴可能带来的危害，但报告称缺乏提供有意义应对措施所需的共享信息和跨部门合作。吸毒者报告了毒品收缴事件后对健康的负面影响以及过量用药风险增加。吸毒者使用多种策略来减少毒品收缴带来的感知危害。
无论何时、何地或与何人发现毒品都予以收缴，已成为美国一种被认可的警务做法，表面上是为了降低与毒品相关的危害风险。这项研究为越来越多的证据提供了新视角，即这种标准做法可能会给社区带来一系列负面公共卫生后果。此类涉及直接受影响人群的生活经历和看法的研究，对于理解和减轻这些危害至关重要。受毒品收缴影响最大的人群——吸毒者——应处于制定、实施和评估公共卫生及减少危害努力的中心位置，以减少与毒品收缴相关的危害。
