Do you, or have you ever sold illegal drugs?

If so, I want to hear from you for the purposes of research. As part of on-going research I want to build up a profile of how illegal drugs are sold in different countries and in different localities in different countries. I am interested in individuals who have sold drugs at all levels. Nobody is too `small'.

This is the first attempt I know of attempting to investigate aspects of illegal drug distribution (through the sellers themselves) via the Internet. Only your help will make it a success (I will have a fairly good idea who is and who is not genuine, so please do not waste either your or my time if you have never sold drugs). There are 29 main questions and it should only take about 10 minutes to complete. If you can and want to contribute please do it now otherwise the likelihood is that you will not do it at all.

If you have concerns about anonymity either use a public access terminal (e.g. a library or a CyberCafe or Computer Lab). Alternatively, you can print off the questionnaire and send it directly to me at:

EMail:Ross Coomber
Principal Lecturer in Sociology
School of Social Sciences
University of Greenwich
Eltham
London SE9 2HB
England

Drug Sellers Questionnaire

  1. Are you MaleFemale
  2. Are you selling drugs at present YesNo
  3. If no to question 2 how long is it since you last sold drugs?
  4. How long have you sold, or did sell, drugs for?
  5. Where do/did you sell drugs? (Please state country, state, city/town)
  6. Which drugs did/do you sell? (Please list)
  7. Where would you (have) place(d) yourself in the chain of drug distribution (e.g. `street dealer')?
  8. How many `connections' do you think the drugs pass through (once in the country) before they reach you?
  9. How reliable you think your guess is ? Very Reasonably Not Very
  10. Do or did you :

    make the bulk of your income from selling drugs Yes No

    supplement your income Yes No

    just cover the costs of buying your own drugs Yes No

  11. Are you/have you been addicted to any drugs? YesNo
  12. If yes to the previous question, which drugs
  13. Would you cut or `step on' (adulterate or dilute) the drugs you deal in

    Always

    Mostly

    Sometimes

    Rarely

    Never

  14. What, if you cut your drugs mostly, sometimes or rarely, would determine whether you did or not?

  15. When you got the drugs you were going to sell from your supplier, what did you do to them (if anything) to make sure you realised some profit from the buy? Please describe.

  16. (If you cut your drugs) how much, on average would you cut a sample: e.g. 50%, 30%?

    Cocaine Powder: Heroin: Amphetamine:

    Other (Please list):

  17. (If you cut your drugs) What do you cut your drugs with (Please state drug and the substance or substances you would or have used.

  18. Do you have any way of knowing how pure the drugs you buy are? YesNo
  19. On average how much (weight) might you deal in any one month of:

    Cocaine: Heroin: Amphetamine Sulphate:

    Ecstasy: Other (Please list):

  20. Have you ever cut a drug with any of the following (Yes or No to each):

    Brick-dust Yes No

    Talcum powder Yes No

    Ajax or Vim (domestic scouring powders) Yes No

    Strychnine (Rat poison) Yes No

    Over the Counter Drugs (aspirin etc.) Yes No

    Other dangerous substances (e.g. ground glass) Yes No

  21. (If no to above) We have all heard the stories about cutting with those listed above, do you believe them ?Yes No
  22. If yes, which ones do you believe? (Please list)

  23. If you do believe in cutting with any of the above, do you know, FIRST HAND, anyone who has done this kind of cutting of drugs? Yes No
  24. If yes, please give as full details as possible (what did they use, why, under what circumstances).

  25. If yes to the above, is it possible this is in fact a rumour? Yes No
  26. If you do not cut your drugs with dangerous substances like those listed, why don't you?

  27. Do you primarily sell to friends/acquaintances or to people who are relative strangers bar that they know you as a supplier of drugs?

  28. Do you receive drugs from someone who would sell on the "street" or primarily to people like yourself. (Please state)

  29. Where do you do most of your selling? At home? In clubs/pubs? Other (Please state)

  30. What is/was the average weight (sample, bag, wrap) you would sell for each drug (e.g. half a gramme?) (Please state for each drug)