The Global Drug Survey (GDS) runs the largest drug – which includes alcohol – survey in the world. The GDS is now it is ninth year and is translated into 16 languages and partners with over 30 countries. Their international team is committed to helping make drug use safer regardless of the legal status of the drug and promoting honest conversations about drug use across the world.
How we wish we had been able to have more open conversations with our son while he was struggling during a relapse or actively using. Had he not feared some punitive measure we could impose on him in an attempt to force him to be squeaky clean, he would have felt less shame and the feeling of being a failure. He could have felt that we were partners with him in his battle against the overwhelming enemy that was within.
GDS relies on the experience and expertise from people all over the world. It is developed by a network of international experts in the field of drugs, health, epidemiology, criminology and public policy. In the most recent survey (GDS2019) a total of 123,814 people took part.
From their website (see link below photos):
GDS is independent and free from the influence of government funding or commercial interests. Funds they generate go into running the survey and creating free harm reduction tools. GDS2020 is hosted on an encrypted survey platform. It’s anonymous and confidential. You don’t need to give any personally identifiable details. We don’t record your IP address.
This year’s core survey will take most people 20-30 minutes. At the end of each core drug section we will give you feedback about how your frequency of use compares to other people who have taken that drug and taken part in the GDS over the last 2 years, or in the case of alcohol what level of risk your current drinking may be placing you at.
We will be asking questions about all the commonly used substances and in addition some optional in-depth sections on medical cannabis, CBD, psychedelics and self-treatment and how people dose with MDMA (ecstasy). We also have a section on night life and how policy and regulation in different cities and venues impact on people’s use of substances and the risks they may be exposed to. It’s super important to collect this information to inform venues and governments striving to improve safety in nightlife settings.
If you have any drug use experience, past or present, please consider taking the time to give this valuable information and/or pass it on to someone who might be willing to participate – deadline is Dec. 30, 2019.
https://www.globaldrugsurvey.world/s3/Global-Drug-Survey-2020-language-selection-Launch-Version
Opiate Nation 