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Background: Microdosing psychedelics is the practice of taking small, sub-hallucinogenic doses of lysergic acid diethylamide or psilocybin-containing mushrooms. Despite its surging popularity, little is known about the specific intentions to start microdosing and the effects of this practice. Aims: First, we aimed to replicate previous findings regarding the subjective benefits and challenges reported for microdosing. Second, we assessed whether people who microdose test their substances before consumption. Third, we examined whether having an approach-intention to microdosing was predictive of more reported benefits. Methods: The Global Drug Survey runs the world's largest online drug survey. Participants who reported last year use of lysergic acid diethylamide or psilocybin in the Global Drug Survey 2019 were offered the opportunity to answer a sub-section on microdosing. Results: Data from 6753 people who reported microdosing at least once in the last 12 months were used for analyses. Our results suggest a partial replication of previously reported benefits and challenges among the present sample often reporting enhanced mood, creativity, focus and sociability. Counter to our prediction, the most common challenge participants associated with microdosing was 'None'. As predicted, most participants reported not testing their substances. Counter to our hypothesis, approach-intention – microdosing to approach a desired goal – predicted less rather than more benefits. We discuss alternate frameworks that may better capture the reasons people microdose. Conclusion: Our results suggest the perceived benefits associated with microdosing greatly outweigh the challenges. Microdosing may have utility for a variety of uses while having minimal side effects. Double-blind, placebo-controlled experiments are required to substantiate these reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Aims: Networked identification (ID) scanner technology is a novel approach to collecting licensed venue attendance data, and potentially reducing alcohol‐related violence by detecting banned patrons. Using ID scanner data from three Queensland entertainment precincts (Safe Night Precincts; SNPs), we aim to: (i) examine patterns in patron attendance to licensed venues; and (ii) examine patterns in the detection of banned patrons. Design and Methods: We conducted descriptive analyses of licensed venue patron entries between 1 October 2017 and 30 June 2019. Scans during high alcohol hours (Friday and Saturday, 20:00–06:00) were stratified by patron sex and key age groups. We described scans associated with a detected banning notice issued by venues, courts or police across all Queensland SNPs and three key SNPs. Results: ID scanner data showed similar attendance trends across SNPs. The peak licensed venue entry hour was 23:00–23:59, with Saturday being the peak day. Approximately two‐thirds of scanned patrons were male, and patrons had a mean age of 25.8 years (SD = 8.80). Scanners detected 48 657 attempted entries by banned patrons, with the majority of attempts made by males (85%) aged 18–24 years (61%). Discussion and Conclusions: This study adds to the limited evidence on the use of ID scanners in the night‐time economy and highlights the feasibility of ID scanner use in this setting. Results demonstrate the value of scanners to passively collect data on patrons, identify banned patrons and assist in the enforcement of bans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Aims: The illicit manufacture of methamphetamine in clandestine laboratories is associated with significant risks to the community and environment. Currently little is known about clandestine laboratories or the individual 'cooks' who operate them; current research directly engaging with cooks is limited to three qualitative studies with small samples (n < 24) of cooks based in the USA. This descriptive brief report starts to address this knowledge gap by exploring characteristics of an international sample of self‐identified methamphetamine cooks. Design and Methods: Using data from the 2017 and 2018 Global Drug Surveys, we identified 125 individuals from 24 countries who reported past manufacture of methamphetamine. We explored respondents' socio‐demographic characteristics and patterns of methamphetamine production using descriptive statistics. Results: The majority of methamphetamine cooks were male (82%) and Caucasian (70%) and, contrary to previous studies, 43% were employed and 51% had at least a high school certificate. Cooks most commonly sourced precursors from pharmacies (50%), followed by friends (24%). Almost half of the cooks (47%) produced methamphetamine exclusively for self‐consumption. Discussion and Conclusions: The heterogeneous nature of the sample and varying precursor sources reflect the limitations of existing regulations aimed at limiting methamphetamine production. These findings point to the need for innovative and multi‐faceted efforts aimed at reducing and preventing the harms associated with methamphetamine manufacture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nightlife precincts are constituted by intersecting cultural, market and regulatory forces. They are a vibrant part of the experience economy of the city and important sites for the performance of live music and arts. This article examines original live music venues in Fortitude Valley, an inner-city neighbourhood in Brisbane, Australia. The Valley is both a culturally significant site for original live music venues and a dense hyper-commercialised nightlife precinct. Policy interventions in the area have sought to protect its live music venues, liberalise its nightlife economy, and curtail the harms generated by alcohol consumption. Drawing on interviews with live music venue owners and managers we argue that over time venues have adapted their ethos to the cultural and market logic of the nightlife precinct, rather than the music scene. Their accounts illustrate that venues are an important site where cultural values and market imperatives are negotiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Night‐time entertainment precincts (NEP) are the site of a disproportionate amount of alcohol‐related violence, injuries and anti‐social behaviour. To combat this the Queensland government introduced patron bans in October 2014, giving police the power to exclude individuals from NEPs and preventing patrons from remaining in or entering the designated area or from designated premises for the ban duration. Mandatory identification scanners within licensed venues were also introduced, which are used to enforce patron bans. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of police‐issued 10‐day patron bans for preventing alcohol‐related violence or anti‐social behaviour occurring within NEPs during high‐alcohol hours. Methods: Queensland's largest NEPs; Brisbane central business district, Fortitude Valley and Surfers Paradise central business district; were examined. Time‐series autoregressive integrated moving average analyses were used to estimate the influence of 10‐day patron bans on police‐recorded serious assaults, common assaults and good order offences. Analyses controlled for the introduction of relevant policy and identification scanners. Results: The number of police‐issued patron bans did not significantly predict changes in serious assault, common assault or good order offence trends the weekend following the ban (within the 10‐day period). Discussion and Conclusions: The current study was unable to find evidence indicating that 10‐day patron bans reduced alcohol‐related harms experienced in Queensland's largest NEPs in the short term. Further research needs to be conducted examining other types of patron bans, particularly longer bans issued in other jurisdictions or by licensees, and whether bans change individual's behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Ensuring the sexual and reproductive health of the population is essential for the wellbeing of a nation. At least three aspects of sexual and reproductive health are among the key policy issues for present Australian governments: maintaining and increasing the birth rate; reducing the abortion rate; and preventing and controlling Chlamydia infections. The overall aim of the Australian Longitudinal Study of Health and Relationships is to document the natural history of the sexual and reproductive health of the Australian adult population. Methods/design A nationally representative sample of Australian adults 16–64 years of age was selected in a two-phase process in 2004–2005. Eligible households were identified through random digit dialling. We used separate sampling frames for men and women; where there was more than one eligible person in a household the participant was selected randomly. Participants completed a computer-assisted telephone interview that typically took approximately 25 minutes to complete. The response rate was 56%. A total of 8,656 people were interviewed, of whom 95% (8243) agreed to be contacted again 12 months later. Of those, approximately 82% have been re-contacted and re-interviewed in 2006–07 (Wave Two), with 99% of those agreeing to be contacted again for Wave Three. Discussion ALSHR represents a significant advance for research on the linked topics of sexual and reproductive health. Its strengths include the large sample size, the inclusion of men as well as women, and the wide age range of the participants.