“It’s just what’s around these days”: social and contextual pragmatism in substance transitions
Beyond the desire for new or enhanced physiological effects, substance transitions serve social and practical functions, like facilitating emotional closeness and responding to market conditions. Interventions to reduce the risks of use should expand viable options by addressing structural barriers and promoting safe, affordable, and accessible supply.
Authors
- Shabbar I. Ranapurwala (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3944-3912)
- Brian W. Pence (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7321-9538)
- Monica E Swilley-Martinez
- Elizabeth Joniak-Grant (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8260-485X)
- David C. Colston (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6393-4228)
- Adams L. Sibley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5073-8677)
- Hillary Mortensen
Institutions
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Harm Reduction Journal
- Published
- 2025-11-26
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-025-01345-2
- Primary Topic
- Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention