Seeking legitimacy for broad understandings of substance use

Prioritisation of scholarly funding and publication has largely been predicated on the notion that illicit substances pose an inherent risk for individual and social harm. This has implicitly and explicitly influenced what type of research has been conducted and how substance use is constructed. Researchers who engage in scholarship that suspends assumptions of risk and problems associated with substance use may become subject to judgement about their credibility, ethics, and expertise. Moving forward, we suggest that conscientiously attending to broad, nuanced experiences associated with substance use will contribute to a stronger evidence base.