Moore, David2026-04-232026-04-231606-6359ORCID:/0000-0002-5860-3109/work/212525094https://hdl.handle.net/1885/733808662This article reports on continuing ethnographic research with a social network of young, "recreational" illicit rug users in the inner-city areas of Perth, Western Australia. It describes who they are, how their daily lives are recorded by the researcher (principally through participant observation), and how they react to the research. The means used to establish initial contact with the network and to maintain close social interaction with them for over twelve months are also outlined. The article then discusses some of the issues which this particular ethnographic enterprise raises, seeking to ground the discussion firmly in the reported work while also making some more general observations. The areas covered include the philosophy underpinning ethnography, the related questions of personal morals and ethics, the potential intrusion of personal values into qualitative research findings and some practical comments on ethnographic conduct.The field research on which this paper is based was supported by a grant from the Research into Drug Abuse Programme of the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse. I bear sole responsibility for the final version of this paper but I would like to acknowledge the tolerance and patience of those drug users with whom I spent many hours, and, particularly, the invaluable input and support of Lisa, Jane, Jessie, Mark, MC, Michael and Vinnie. Thanks are also due to Jodie Brown, David Hawks, Alison Marsh, Bill Saunders, Tim Stockwell, Mariella Vallesi and the two anonymous referees for Addiction Research for comments on earlier versions of this paper. The project began in May 1990 when I received a research grant from the Research into Drug Abuse Programme (of the Australian National Campaign Against Drug Abuse). Since then, I have been involved in anthropological research focusing on a social network of young, recreational, illicit drug users. By “recreational”, I mean those individuals for whom drug use is primarily an expressive and leisure-oriented activity but who may, on occasions, experience difficulties of various kinds resulting from, or exacerbated by, their drug use. Employing the term in this way is consistent with the idea that many popular sports and pastimes (e.g., Australian Rules football, cricket, hang-gliding, etc), while being seen as “recreational”, also have the potential for serious injury and even death.15en©1993 The authorsAustraliaEthnographyIllicit drug useMethodologyPsychostimulants199310.3109/160663593090353200001784521