A pilot study using the internet to study patterns of party drug use: processes, findings and limitations PETER G. MILLER, JENNIFER JOHNSTON, PAUL R. MCELWEE, & RICK NOBLE Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, Melbourne, Australia Abstract Since the 1990s there has been a rise in both the prevalence of party drug use in Australia and the use of party drug-related websites. This study investigates whether it is feasible to recruit and survey party drug users via the internet. It took place in Victoria, Australia. Participants were directed to a website where they completed a brief, structured internet-based survey. A total of 460 responses were received over 31 days, 393 of which fitted all inclusion criteria. The sample consisted predominately of young, male polydrug users and is one of the largest samples of party drug users in Australia reported thus far. It was concluded that it is feasible to recruit and survey current party drug users via the internet and that this method is quicker and cheaper than traditional survey methods, although samples are not necessarily representative of the party drug-using population. Other limitations and advantages are discussed. [Miller PG, Johnston J, McElwee PR, Noble R. A pilot study using the internet to study patterns of party drug use: processes, findings and limitations. Drug Alcohol Rev 2007;26:169 – 174] Key words: drug trend monitoring, ecstasy, internet, party drugs, web. Introduction Internationally, the use of party (or club) drugs and psychostimulants has increased since the 1990s. ‘Party drugs’ refers loosely to those drugs used commonly by attendees at nightclubs and dance music events (e.g. dance/rave scene participants, gay/lesbian groups), most commonly non-injecting drugs such as ecstasy, cocaine, methamphetamines, LSD, ketamine and GHB. The increase in party drug use has occurred alongside an increase in the use of the internet as a means of communication and source of information. Party drug use and related issues have become the focus of numerous websites, newsgroups and bulletin boards. It was noted that key informants participating in routine drug monitoring surveys [1] reported party drug users’ (PDUs) primary source of information regarding drugs was increasingly drug-related websites. Following sub- sequent investigations into the viability of accessing respondents via these sites and ensuring that the project was technically feasible, it was proposed to trial the method utilising these drug-related websites to access PDUs. While internet surveys are becoming commonplace in market research and a small number of internet- based studies have been conducted overseas, this pilot was the first to apply these methods for illicit drug research in Australia. Internet-based studies have been conducted in the United Kingdom (e.g. [2]), the United States (e.g. [3,4]) and Europe (e.g. [5]). Study topics have included: patterns of drug dilution among dealers [2], mental well-being of recreational drug users [6], sexual behaviour [7] and illicit drug use [8]. Samples recruited in these studies have varied widely, including: ‘drug dealers’ [2], men who have sex with men [9] and general internet-using populations [10]. Recruitment methods have, accordingly, varied sub- stantially, but a consistent finding has been that the internet-based research can be a valuable and effective method of reaching people not easily accessed other- wise (e.g. [11]). Samples recruited in these studies have varied widely and have included: 80 ‘drug dealers’ [12], men who have sex with men (MSM) [11], university students [13], 3047 website visitors who agreed to receive messages [14] and general web-using populations Received 20 December 2005; accepted for publication 22 September 2006. Peter G. Miller PhD, and Senior Research Fellow, Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, Melbourne, Australia, Jennifer Johnston PhD, Research Fellow, Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, Melbourne, Australia, Paul R. McElwee B.Inf.Tech, Research Fellow, Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, Melbourne, Australia, Rick Noble IT manager, Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, Melbourne, Australia. Correspondence to Dr Peter G. Miller, Senior Clinical Research Worker, National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, 4 Windsor Walk, London SE5 8AF, UK. Tel: þ44 207 7848 0026; E-mail: P.Miller@iop.kcl.ac.uk Drug and Alcohol Review (March 2007), 26, 169 – 174 ISSN 0959-5236 print/ISSN 1465-3362 online/07/020169–06 ª Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs DOI: 10.1080/09595230601146629