NARRATIVES OF STARTING, USING, AND STOPPING METHAMPHETAMINE USE BY JOHN DANCE A thesis submitted to the Victoria University of Wellington in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Victoria University of Wellington (2018) 1 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... 5 Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Chapter one: thesis introduction and overview ........................................................................... 7 Methamphetamine use in New Zealand ....................................................................................... 8 Thesis structure ........................................................................................................................... 18 Chapter two: methamphetamine, drug panics and authoritative understandings of drug users ..................................................................................................................................................... 23 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 23 Methamphetamine and ‘drug panics’ ......................................................................................... 25 The individualisation of drug use in authoritative discourses .................................................... 36 Theorising risk and decisions about starting, using and stopping drug use ............................... 55 Life course perspectives of desistance from drug use ................................................................ 73 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 78 Chapter three: research methodology ........................................................................................ 80 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 80 Social constructionism, interpretivism and qualitative approaches to researching drug-use ... 81 Methodological tensions ............................................................................................................. 84 Thesis research methods ............................................................................................................ 87 Sampling, recruitment and initiating a pilot study...................................................................... 88 The 17 research participants ....................................................................................................... 97 Will .............................................................................................................................................. 97 Tania ............................................................................................................................................ 97 Moana ......................................................................................................................................... 98 Ben .............................................................................................................................................. 98 Charlie ......................................................................................................................................... 99 Steve ............................................................................................................................................ 99 2 Angus ......................................................................................................................................... 100 Rayleen ...................................................................................................................................... 100 Amy ........................................................................................................................................... 101 Rebecca ..................................................................................................................................... 101 Sean ........................................................................................................................................... 102 Jess ............................................................................................................................................ 102 John ........................................................................................................................................... 103 Terry .......................................................................................................................................... 103 Debbie ....................................................................................................................................... 104 Kiri ............................................................................................................................................. 104 Matthew .................................................................................................................................... 105 The narrative interview: getting the story ................................................................................ 105 The interview process ............................................................................................................... 110 Organising and analysing the interview data ............................................................................ 118 Validating narrative research claims ......................................................................................... 128 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 132 Chapter four: narratives of poly-drug use experiences ............................................................ 134 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 134 Individualising risk ..................................................................................................................... 135 Risk environments ..................................................................................................................... 138 Beginning journeys of poly-drug use ......................................................................................... 143 Transitions in repertoires of poly-drug use ............................................................................... 153 Transitions to starting and using methamphetamine ............................................................... 169 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 189 Chapter five: narratives of social relationships and drug use ................................................... 192 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 192 Family, friends and drug use ..................................................................................................... 193 3 Risk exposure and social relationships ...................................................................................... 208 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 230 Chapter six: narratives of desistance from drug use................................................................. 233 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 233 Turning points and desistance from drug use ........................................................................... 235 Desistance, identity and treatment for addiction ..................................................................... 238 Desistance beyond therapeutic environments ......................................................................... 259 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 285 Chapter seven: thesis conclusion .............................................................................................. 288 References ................................................................................................................................. 302 Appendix A. ............................................................................................................................... 333 Appendix B. ............................................................................................................................... 334 Appendix C. ............................................................................................................................... 335 Appendix D. ............................................................................................................................... 336 Appendix E................................................................................................................................. 337 4 Acknowledgements A huge