Using the internet for qualitative research on drug users and drug markets: the pros, the cons and the progress

Abstract

Online research provides enormous opportunities to the social researcher. This is as true for the qualitative researcher as it is for the quantitative researcher. To date however, published qualitative online research on drug users and drug sellers has barely occurred. In the last 14 years - since the first of these publications, and despite significant technological advancement that facilitates qualitative research greatly - qualitative researchers in the drugs field have failed to keep apace. This chapter reviews some of that early research, outlines the key potential for qualitative research online that it demonstrated, and provides insight into appropriate online qualitative methods and practices and the opportunities now afforded the online researchers by new technology. The chapter concludes that online qualitative research is meaningful, doable and of potentially great benefit.