Advisory Committee Chair
John H Copes
Advisory Committee Members
Hayden Griffin
Amanda Burgess-Proctor
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
2017
Degree Name by School
Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ) College of Arts and Sciences
Abstract
Since the early 2000s, Novel Psychoactive Drugs (NPDs) have been gaining popularity in the illicit drug world. One of the most popular NPDs is synthetic marijuana, commonly referred to as spice. Initially unregulated, spice became popular among and accessible to a diverse array of people throughout the United States. Deleterious health effects, including death, have been attributed to spice use. Recognizing a lack of criminological research available on spice use, this study seeks to understand why individuals use spice—why they began to use spice specifically, why they persisted, and why they quit if applicable. Based on 34 in-depth interviews and approximately 200 hours of participant observation of those who use spice, I form a typology to understand how spice fits into drug using criminal careers.
Recommended Citation
Marsh, Whitney Julia, "Fall Out Boys And The Spice Girls: Understanding The Criminal Careers Of Those Who Use Spice" (2017). All ETDs from UAB. 2388.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/2388
