An exploratory study of women who use and sell drugs in China

Abstract

This study offers rare empirical data and insight about the experiences of women who use and sell drugs in China and their participation in the drug economy. Drug selling is traditionally viewed as a male job in China and commonly overlaps with drug use practices. While this largely male-dominated economy has been widely documented, very little is known about the experiences of women. Drawing on interviews with twelve women, this exploratory study aims to shed light on the lives and experiences of women who use and sell drugs in China. Findings indicate that for study participants, entering into the drug selling economy was primarily driven by motives of maintaining their own drug use. Our analysis also shows that participants kept their drug selling within limited social circles. Instead of seeking to make large profits, they often aimed to "help friends" and secure drugs for their own use. Women who sold drugs in our study usually affiliated themselves with their male partners, often purposefully utilizing feminine characteristics and practices to serve gendered roles in drug selling. In doing so, this paper brings to light the gendered nature of drug selling practices and drug market relations in China and more broadly.

Keywords: China; Drug selling; Qualitative research; Women.