Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology Pusher Myths: Re-situating the Drug Dealer.

• Jurisdiction: Australia
• Author: Darke, Shane
• Date: 01 August 2007

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology Pusher Myths: Re-situating the Drug Dealer Ross Coomber (2006) Free Association Books, United Kingdom, 207pp, ISBN 1853439487

As the title suggests, the authors purpose in writing this book is to challenge a number of deeply held, stereotypical convictions about illicit drug dealers ('pushers'). The means by which Dr Coomber attempts to 're-situate' the illicit drug dealer is by a close examination of how research data relates to received wisdom. This sounds logical, indeed, prosaic. Like many contentious issues in the drug and alcohol field, however, no attempt to synthesise our knowledge in this area has been conducted previously. It is important to note that, in doing so, Dr Coomber is not attempting to legitimise or glorify illicit drug dealing.

The book opens with an historical analysis of the development of the public persona of the pusher. This is an important basis for understanding the development of attitudes towards psychoactive substances and those who purvey them. Opium, a commodity whose supply Britain went to war twice in the 19th century to protect, provides an excellent example of how public perceptions of a drug can move from...