Women Drug Users: An Ethnography Of A Female Injecting Community

Women Drug Users: An Ethnography Of A Female Injecting Community

Based on in-depth interviews and observations of the women in their own environment,Women Drug Users is the first full ethnographic account of the lifestyle of female drug users in Britain. It charts their entry into drug use, the various ways in which they finance their habits, and their relationships with friends, partners, family members, and children. Taylor examines the efforts the women have made to give up drugs and details the reasons which make these endeavors difficult. The evidence suggests that, ironically, the lifestyle which evolves around their drug use offers an arena in which the women are able to find a degree of independence and purpose otherwise lacking in their lives, thus making their drug-using lifestyle attractive even when there are apparent disadvantages.Review"Taylor's detailed "street ethnography" of Glasgow, Scotland, offers a thorough and somewhat surprising view of the daily lives of female drug addicts....The book provides valuable insights into a grossly misunderstood segment of the modern urban scene."--ChoiceFrom the Back CoverThis book provides an account of the lives and experiences of a group of female intravenous drug users in Glasgow. Based on participant observation of the women in their own setting and in-depth interviews with the women, it is the first full ethnographic account of the lifestyle of female drug users. It charts their entry into drugs, the various ways in which they provide for their drug use, their relationships with friends, partners, family members and children as well as attitudes towards professionals such as social workers with whom they come into contact by virtue of their status as drug using mothers. Finally, the efforts the women make to give up their use of drugs is examined along with the reasons which make these endeavours difficult. The evidence suggests that, ironically, the lifestyle which evolves around their use of drugs offers an arena in which the women are able to find a degree of independence and purpose otherwise lacking in their lives and which makes their drug using lifestyle attractive even when disadvantages become apparent.About the AuthorAvril Taylor is a Research Fellow, Public Health Research Unit at University of Glasgow.