5th ISA Forum of Sociology (6-11 July 2025)

During the 21^st century, transformations in substance use policies and consumption have occurred. Some substances, such as cannabis, have experienced policy liberalization toward legal markets in diverse locations such as the U.S., Canada, Uruguay, Thailand, and Germany. While tobacco control efforts reduced traditional tobacco use in many regions, the emergence of vaping and alternative nicotine products expanded the scope of tobacco markets. In addition, opioids – both as desired drugs and adulterants – drastically affected mortality in North America, while stimulant use increased in the Global South. Simultaneously, distribution routes have evolved in ways that affect those throughout the production chain, with the emergence of new drug-producing countries and shifts in supply chains within traditional drug-producing countries. In this session, we are interested in the broad implications of these global transformations for patterns of use, drug markets, and the wider implications for population health and well-being. We encourage papers that explore the effects of global transformations both for people who use drugs as well as those involved in production and distribution of drugs. For example, papers might consider how laws and policies affect prevalence of use and mortality, how global supply chain and drug trend changes have affected drug-producing farmers and communities’ livelihoods, innovations in treatment and harm reduction, and challenges for healthcare and treatment in nations with zero-tolerance drug policies. We seek papers from diverse scholars across the globe to highlight the transnational nature and global interconnectedness of drug markets and their implications for individual, community, and societal health.