Methamphetamine as a Social Necessity: Perspectives from Chinese Female Drug Users

Guided by the drug career and normalization thesis, this study highlights the inherently social nature of methamphetamine (meth) use, with a particular focus on the pivotal role of meth-use networks among Chinese female drug users. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 34 female drug users to explore their social experiences with meth use. Thematic analysis revealed that the influence of close female friends and the ready availability of meth contribute to its emergence as a social necessity throughout these women's drug trajectories. Participants often initiated meth use within high-risk social networks, progressively integrating into meth-use communities. Consequently, achieving abstinence posed significant challenges, as it necessitated severing nearly all social ties. Considering the social dynamics and the differentiated normalization of meth use, this study recommends the implementation of targeted meth education programs and social support interventions for Chinese women embedded in high-risk social networks.