This selection of books, peer-reviewed articles, and presentations was compiled after extensive consideration of core readings and cutting edge science, and in consultation with leading researchers on drug abuse. These materials are intended to introduce various settings and circumstances of drug use, efforts towards harm reduction, and to illuminate social, political, and economic structures that influence addiction and risk discourses. Cited works reflect diversity in drug use contexts (e.g., academic environments, group sex encounters, shooting galleries, supervised injection facilities), licit and illicit substances (e.g., prescription stimulants, crack cocaine, marijuana), and research populations (e.g., racial or ethnic minority, sexual minority, inner-city, suburban). Likewise, the readings embrace a wide range of methodologies, from cross-sectional surveys and in-depth interviews to ethnographic studies and participant observation.
February 1, 2014
Environmental Factors in Drug Use and Abuse
Martin Downing
Martin Downing is a Research Scientist with Public Health Solutions in New York City. He received his PhD in Environmental Psychology from the City University of New York in 2010, and recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Behavioral Sciences Training Program in Drug Abuse Research sponsored by National Development and Research Institutes, Inc. with funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. His research primarily concerns psychosocial and contextual aspects of health and well being as it pertains to sexual minority and substance-using populations. This work represents a commitment to addressing the needs of underserved and at-risk groups, fostering opportunities for sexual health education, and improving health outcomes.
Comments by Martin Downing