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Unveiling Taxpayer-Funded Research: Examining the Impact of ‘Structural Racism’ on Methamphetamine Use

ByAlki David

Jun 13, 2023

In a stunning revelation, it has come to light that nearly $700,000 of taxpayer money (your money) is being used to investigate the alleged impact of “racist structures” on methamphetamine use. Researchers at Emory University, funded by the National Institutes of Health, are conducting a study titled “Structural Influences on Methamphetamine Use among Black Gay and Bisexual Men in Atlanta.” The aim of this research is to uncover how “structural racism” influences the use of meth among the gay black community. While the study claims to address “unique” health impacts, questions arise about the necessity and public interest behind such an expenditure.

According to the researchers, current treatments for methamphetamine addiction fail to consider the “unique” health implications of “structural racism and discrimination (SRD).” The study posits that housing discrimination, gentrification, racial and income segregation, as well as a discriminatory climate within the LGBT community, may be contributing factors to the recent increase in meth use among gay black men. The proposed project aims to analyze the connections between these forms of structural racism and discrimination and methamphetamine use in this population.

The researchers assert that uncovering these pathways is crucial to developing effective structural interventions that can prevent methamphetamine use and related harms among black gay and bisexual men. By identifying the impact of “structural racism,” they hope to shed light on the underlying factors that contribute to the emerging threat faced by this specific population.

However, concerns have been raised about the allocation of taxpayer funds for a research project that lacks a clear explanation of its public interest. While preventing methamphetamine abuse is undoubtedly important, the direct connection between “structural racism” and meth use may not be evident to all. The public deserves a transparent account of why their hard-earned dollars are being directed toward this particular study and how it benefits society as a whole.

In conclusion, a federally funded research project at Emory University is investigating the link between “structural racism” and methamphetamine use among black gay and bisexual men in Atlanta. While the study claims to address the “unique” health impacts of “structural racism and discrimination,” questions persist regarding the necessity and public interest behind this expenditure. Transparency and a clear explanation of how this research benefits the taxpayer-funded project are vital for ensuring accountability and the efficient use of public funds.

By Alki David

Alki David — Publisher, Media Architect, SIN Network Creator - live, direct-to-public communication, media infrastructure, accountability journalism, and independent distribution. Born in Lagos, Nigeria; educated in the United Kingdom and Switzerland; attended the Royal College of Art. Early internet broadcaster — participated in real-time public coverage during the 1997 Mars landing era using experimental online transmission from Beverly Hills. Founder of FilmOn, one of the earliest global internet television networks offering live and on-demand broadcasting outside legacy gatekeepers. Publisher of SHOCKYA — reporting since 2010 on systemic corruption inside the entertainment business and its expansion into law, finance, and regulation. Creator of the SIN Network (ShockYA Integrated Network), a federated media and civic-information infrastructure spanning investigative journalism, live TV, documentary, and court-record reporting. Lived and worked for over 40 years inside global media hubs including Malibu, Beverly Hills, London, Hong Kong and Gstaad. Early encounter with Julian Assange during the first Hologram USA operations proved a formative turning point — exposing the realities of lawfare, information suppression, and concentrated media power. Principal complainant and driving force behind what court filings describe as the largest consolidated media–legal accountability action on record, now before the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. Relocated to Antigua & Barbuda and entered sustained legal, civic, and informational confrontation over media power, safeguarding, and accountability at Commonwealth scale.