Social theory in drug research, drug policy and harm reduction (original) (raw)

This double special issue of The International Journal of Drug Policy examines contemporary social theory's impact on drug research, policy, and harm reduction. The collected articles address rarely discussed topics, including social capital, governmentality, and structures of agency, and highlight the need to critically engage with existing paradigms. The papers showcase a variety of themes such as the irrational fear surrounding street heroin use, the cultural and pharmacological understanding of different drugs, and the tension between individual freedom and public health in drug prevention. Overall, these contributions call for a reassessment of theoretical frameworks guiding drug research and suggest that contemporary social theory is increasingly influencing mainstream practices.