Over the next 5 years, this ongoing research - presented in the format of a ‘10-episode meth drama series’ - will provide, for the first time, a life course-based qualitative study of methamphetamine use in New Zealand. 

 The aim of this research is to: 

Identify turning points in the onset, persistence and desistance from methamphetamine use throughout the life course.   With greater knowledge of the processes that underlie turning points in meth use,  the hope is this research can help in some small way toward developing better prevention, intervention, and treatment programs for New Zealand’s meth users. 

This ongoing research is being conducted by Trent Bax (an associate professor in sociology at Ewha Womans University, South Korea). Trent's research interest is within 'the sociology of deviance'. Trent is author of the books "Youth and Internet Addiction in China" and "Bullying and Violence in South Korea".

Email Trent at: trentbax@hotmail.com

 Participants include 35 'main characters' and 30 'supporting cast members' born between 1962 & 1995. 

The 35 main characters - 19 males and 16 females - very kindly sat down in 2018 or 2019 for an in-depth semi-structured interview that totals 100 hours of recorded data

 Approximately 1 million words of transcribed first-hand empirical data 

 Institutional Review Board approval for this research was given on 20/16/2018 (IRB#158-6)