EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A previous study conducted by the authors established that members of ethnic minority groups in Scotland use illegal drugs. This second study was commissioned to discover patterns of drug use within ethnic minority communities, to analyse the meanings attributed to drug use by them, and to assess the appropriateness of current drug-related services for such drug users. In-depth interviews were conducted with over 30 individuals contacted via chain-referral sampling. Drug workers were also interviewed, and seven discussion groups held with a variety of relevant members of ethnic minority groups (Chapter One).

Members of ethnic minority groups seem to be rather more cautious about drugs than their white counterparts, although those that use them are initiated in a variety of relatively conventional ways. Drug use is often seen as "white" behaviour, and this can be a reason for indulging in it. However, although using drugs to relieve the tension of being non-white in a white community was often mentioned, there is a noticeable resistance to using drugs in anything other than very private settings (Chapter Two).

The parents of many of those interviewed were born in other countries, and are believed by their sons and daughters to expect considerably higher standards of behaviour than is the case for their white friends. Members of ethnic minority groups in Scotland who take drugs believe that they must take greater care to conceal their drug use, and they expect far more severe sanctions if caught. Sanctions are believed to include, in some cases, and in extremis, being sent back to the country of parental origin and to an arranged marriage (Chapter Three).

Overall knowledge of available services for drug users is low in this group. Beliefs that such services are for white users are widespread. However, dedicated ethnic minority services are not seen to be the answer, partly because few regarded their drug use as problematic, and partly because the provision of such services could be seen as shaming the general ethnic minority community. Ethnic minority GPs are often the first place that users go for help, but they are viewed with some suspicion because of beliefs that they will not keep presentation for problem drug use confidential (Chapter Four).

Few could suggest service improvements, although the provision of leaflets containing information about drugs in various languages (particularly for parents) seems sensible. There is a generally shared belief that bilingual ethnic minority drug workers would be a good idea, although this was tempered by the belief that such workers might reveal too much to otherwise ignorant community elders (Chapter Five).

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