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The purpose of this study is to understand the complex interplay between illicit opioids trade and consumption practices and state policies that aim to reduce their misuse.

The study adopted an exploratory design. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews with 31 commercially oriented drug dealers in Uyo, Nigeria. The framework approach was used in data analyses, while “friction” provided the interpretive lens.

Accounts revealed public concerns over the misuse of tramadol and other opioids among young people and the associated health and social harms. These concerns provided support for enforcement-based approaches to prescription opioids control, including police raids on pharmacy stores. These measures did not curtail opioids supply and consumption. Instead, they constrained access to essential medicines for pain management, encouraged illegal markets and fuelled law enforcement corruption in the form of police complicity in illegal tramadol trade.

The findings reveal the frictions of drug control in Nigeria, wherein enforcement-based approaches gained traction through public concerns about opioids misuse but also faced resistance due to the persistence of non-medical use and illegal supply channels made possible by law enforcement complicity. These indicate a need to prioritize approaches that seek to reduce illegal supply and misuse of opioids while ensuring availability of these medications for health-care needs.

The study is unique in its focus on the creative tension that exists between state control measures and local opioids supply and consumption practices.

The prevalence of sexual harassment (SH) in Pakistan can be traced back to deeply ingrained cultural ideas, myths and practices that justify and normalize such behavior. This prevalence justifies the need to uncover the factors behind this phenomenon.  As a result, a more detailed mechanism of how and why abuse of power (AOP) can influence female athletes' perceptions of SH behaviors is needed. This study aims to investigate the indirect effects of gender stereotyping in sports (GSS) and benevolent sexism (BS) using sequential mediation.

We collected data from 398 female athletes at football sports clubs in Pakistan. The SEM-PM technique was applied to determine whether these factors are linked to an increased risk of female athlete SH.

The direct relationship between AOP and SH was discovered to be positive and significantly associated with SH, where GSS and BS sequentially mediate the relationship between AOP and SH.

This research provided valuable insights and data related to perceptions of athletes of SH in sports in Pakistan that can lead to the development of effective policies and introduce preventative measures. By addressing this problem, study advises sports governance officers and directors to establish policies, protocols and procedures, including periodic training and dissemination of the policy, subsequent review of its effectiveness, and successful reactions to sexual contact. To ensure that criminal and disciplinary provisions are applied by providing specialized training to the staff of sports organizations.

Primary data collection and analysis were focused.

This study aims to explore the dynamics involved in the non-medical use of tramadol among manual labourers in Nigeria.

Using the phenomenological approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with forty (40) manual labourers (age: 19–36 years). These participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling techniques from two cities in Anambra state, Nigeria, and the data was analysed with thematic analysis.

The results revealed that most of the participants were introduced to tramadol use by their friends. They used tramadol for pain relief, euphoric feeling, energy for work and sexual performance. Unfortunately, most of them may have gradually become dependent on this drug to function well in life without knowing the possible medical and psychological implications.

The sample choice may limit the generalization of the findings; however, the study indicates a need to improve working condition, access to healthcare and awareness of the negative effects of non-medical use of tramadol.

Non-medical use of tramadol may have started as an attempt to help self in performing the daily routine. This action can jeopardize an individual’s mental health and, at the extreme state, hinder performance of daily routine. Friends and the quality of information they provide play a significant role in the onset of this action. The strong point is that many people who are involved in the non-medical use of tramadol are unaware of the possible risks. Improving working conditions and access to healthcare for chronic pain could help reduce these risks.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether indicating victims of sexual attacks actively resisted their attacker or froze during their assault affected perceptions of victim blame, perpetrator blame and seriousness of the crime. We also tested whether victim and perpetrator gender or participants’ rape myth endorsement moderated the outcomes.

This study was a cross-sectional, vignette survey study with a 2 × 2 between-participants experimental design. Participants read a mock police report describing an alleged rape with a female or male victim who either resisted or froze, while perpetrator gender was adjusted heteronormatively.

Freezing and male victims were blamed more than resisting and female victims. Perpetrators were blamed more when the victim resisted, but male and female perpetrators were blamed equally. Seriousness of the crime was higher for male perpetrators and when the victim resisted. Female, but not male, rape myth acceptance moderated the relationship between victim behaviour and outcome variables.

This study highlights the influence of expectations about victim behaviour on perceptions of rape victims and the pervasive influence of rape myths when evaluating female rape victims. The data is drawn from the German border region of the Netherlands, which is an especially valuable population given the evolving legal definitions of rape in both countries.

Cannabis as a recreational drug is prohibited in Nigeria. Consequently, the open use of cannabis attracts both formal and informal sanctions. As such, there is much stigma on users' faces across social spaces. This has led to innovations in drug use. Recently, non-medical use of tramadol has been rising across each of the gender categories. This study aims to understand (1) tramadol use prompts, (2) the sudden surge in gendered recreational use of tramadol and (3) the gendered challenges of recreational tramadol use among Nigerian university students.

Data were collected between December 2021 and October 2022. The researcher conducted 20 semi-structured interviews, with participants chosen purposefully from acquaintances and others selected through chain referral. The selection criteria included knowledge of a particular tramadol tablet and willingness to participate. This study got ethical approval from the Anambra State Ministry of Health (Ref: MH/AWK/M/321/354) and oral consent was obtained before the interviews. The participants were assured of confidentiality. The interviews were conducted in English (the formal Nigerian language) and lasted between 30 and 65 min. The data collected were transcribed and coded manually, and themes generated.

Findings suggest that peer pressures accounted for entry-level drug use. However, cannabis-related stigma is attributed to the surge in tramadol use across gender categories. Furthermore, academic pressure and sexuality are major reasons for tramadol use. The challenges associated with tramadol use include headaches and addiction.

This study, to the best of the author’s knowledge, presents alternative data on the surge in tramadol use among Nigerian university students.

This paper aims to explore the prevalence, motivations and support for student sex work within North East higher education institutions. With limited existing research in this area, this study fills a crucial gap in understanding student sex work in the UK and its specific manifestation in the North East region.

To achieve its objectives, this study adopted an exploratory, cross-sectional design conducted entirely online due to the Covid-19 pandemic. A mixed-methodology approach was used, inspired by previous research, gathering quantitative data through a semi-structured questionnaire and qualitative data through open-ended survey questions.

The study revealed that 11.4% of students engaged in sex work, primarily in indirect and online-based forms. lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ)+ students were more likely to participate in sex work compared to heterosexual students. Financial difficulties and lifestyle preferences were identified as significant motivations for student sex work.

A limitation of the study was the lack of diversity in the sample, with predominantly young, white, heterosexual and cis-gender females, potentially neglecting other demographics' struggles. Future research should include larger and more diverse samples to ensure representative findings.

The research highlights the need for greater awareness and support for student sex workers within North East universities. Policies and services should consider the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ student sex workers to reduce stigma and potential dangers.

Understanding the prevalence of student sex work sheds light on the need to challenge societal assumptions and stigmas surrounding sex work, particularly concerning gender and sexuality.

This study breaks new ground by providing novel insights into an understudied research area – the prevalence of student sex work in North East England. The findings lay the foundation for future research and can inform policies and support systems to improve the safety and well-being of student sex workers. Furthermore, the study contributes to broader discussions on gender, sexuality and sex work in academic settings.

This paper aims to explore the issue of product counterfeiting in Türkiye and assess Türkiye’s role in the global supply chain of counterfeit goods. It sheds light on the supply-side dynamics of counterfeiting in the Turkish context.

Interviews were conducted with 46 key experts, including police officers, customs officers and trademark attorneys. The study also incorporated data from a documentary analysis of counterfeit products seized by the Bulgarian Customs.

The findings of this study highlight the significant role of Türkiye in international supply chains, serving as both a manufacturing hub for a wide array of counterfeit products and a crucial transit point for goods bound for European markets. This study suggests that counterfeiting serves as a source of livelihood for many individuals in Türkiye, with counterfeiters often justifying their activities by claiming they contribute to the country’s economy through job creation and the influx of foreign currency.

While qualitative research is essential for exploring nuanced aspects and gaining in-depth insights, it may not provide the statistical robustness and generalizability associated with larger quantitative studies.

This paper is an original contribution to the understanding of product counterfeiting in Türkiye, a major counterfeit-producing country, with potential implications for the future of consumer protection and market integrity.

Depression is one of the most overlooked psychiatric disorders among middle-aged and elderly men. Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) stigmas are a favorite and common spice that is used as an antidepressant, an anti-inflammatory and a sexual stimulant. This systematic review aimed to provide a comprehensive survey of the effects of saffron on depression in middle-aged and elderly men.

The authors searched Web of Science, PubMed, ProQuest, Cochrane, Science Direct, Scopus and Google Scholar databases to gather any relevant studies published from 1980 to September 2022. This review included studies that examined the relationship between depression and testosterone concentration (four studies) or saffron’s effects on testosterone and depression (six studies).

Observational research showed an association between testosterone and depression in middle-aged and elderly men. Furthermore, animal studies have found that saffron increased testosterone levels and decreased depression in males. There is evidence that testosterone may contribute to the mood. Besides its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, this study proposed scientific mechanisms that saffron may also play a protective role against depression through its influence on testosterone, in middle-aged and elderly men. The general use of saffron at high doses or for prolonged periods may cause side effects; therefore, it is important to consult a health-care professional before the recommended dosage and duration of saffron supplementation, especially if a person has any underlying health conditions or is taking medications.

This study provides researchers with an additional perspective for conducting clinical trials on the use of saffron to enhance the mood of elderly men with testosterone deficiency.