Methamphetamine has become the most widely used illegal substance in the United States. Legislation is continually changed to combat the sale of ingredients used to produce methamphetamine. Although there has been research on the destruction caused by laboratories and health issues caused by use, little research exists about how markets operate. The purpose of this dissertation was to advance the understanding of methamphetamine markets, how they are structured, levels of gender equality in the markets, and ways in which members avoid detection by law enforcement. Based on data from in-depth interviews with twenty-five men and twenty-seven women involved in methamphetamine markets, as well as six law enforcement officers with methamphetamine market work experience, this study captured the experiences of individuals holding a variety of positions within a market. The data reveal small, loosely structured markets that consist of family and/or friends. Roughly half of the markets described are hierarchical in nature. As far as gender differences of experiences within the market, men and women both have a great deal of agency and mobility within the sampled methamphetamine markets. Strategies to avoid law enforcement center around tasks such as obtaining ingredients and components, cooking, and selling. Men and women use very similar strategies within these categories. These findings are unique in that they reveal a considerable amount of gender equality and agency within methamphetamine drug markets.
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