Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40173207›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

"You take care of people, people will take care of you": Moral Economies and an Unpredictable Drug Market.

Erin E Gould, Siddhi S Ganesh, Anthony J DiMario, Jimi Huh, Ricky N Bluthenthal, Rachel Carmen Ceasar

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Erin E GouldKeck Medicine, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6778-614X
Siddhi S GaneshKeck Medicine, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4330-180X
Anthony J DiMarioUSC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Department of Sociology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Jimi HuhKeck Medicine, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Ricky N BluthenthalKeck Medicine, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3491-1702
Rachel Carmen CeasarKeck Medicine, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.

Funding

Cannabis use and health outcomes among opioid-using people who inject drugs in the context of cannabis legalizationR01DA046049 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI BLUTHENTHAL, RICKY N, CORSI, KAREN F · 2019 to 2022
$2.6M
NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA046049
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionFentanyl is the leading cause of opioid-related overdose deaths in the United States. Given the exogenous market shock of fentanyl and subsequent transition in the illicit opioid supply, our analysis sought to explore the social and relational experiences of people who use opioids (PWUO).

methodsWe conducted qualitative interviews with 30 PWUO (n = 30) in Los Angeles, CA from July 2021 to April 2022. To be eligible for this study, participants had to report being 18 years of age or older and any self-reported opioid, cannabis, and injection drug use within the past 30 days. We used constructivist grounded theory to analyze the contexts that contribute to lived experiences surrounding opioid use behaviors within social networks.

resultsWithin an unpredictable drug market contaminated by fentanyl, participants reported: 1) avoiding opioid withdrawal symptoms by sharing financial and material resources within social networks, 2) securing and cultivating known, predictable social ties to prioritize safe/ safer supply of opioids, and 3) avoiding and mitigating risk of overdose fatality by using opioids within peer groups.

conclusionsOur findings emphasize that while peer support plays a critical role in safety within moral economies of PWUO, structural changes are needed to address the additional harms from an unregulated drug supply. Harm reduction interventions such as fentanyl test strip and naloxone distribution, as well as medication for opioid use disorders may improve safety. However, with a fentanyl-contaminated drug supply increasing risk for PWUO, safer opioid distribution of pharmaceutical-grade opioids and overdose prevention programs are needed to effectively address the burden of withdrawal, overdose, and fatality prevention within peer groups.

Indexed as

Analgesics, OpioidFentanylOpioid-Related DisordersAdultDrug OverdoseFemaleHumansLos AngelesMaleMiddle AgedYoung AdultAnalgesics, OpioidFentanyl

Identifiers

PMID40173207
PMCPMC11964208

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.