DRUG DEALING AND NEGATIVE RECIPROCITY

This article explores the notion of negative reciprocity. It uses the experience of drug dealers who sell poor quality heroin to consider th e problem conceptually. The article examines the disclaimers and accou nts dealers make while attempting to balance negative reciprocity. Dis claimers warn customers before the sale that product quality may be su b-par and that they may wish to pass. Accounts neutralize customer com plaints after purchase and consumption and centrally involve two types : appeals to defeasibility and counter denunciations. Conditions under which dealers use either disclaimers or accounts-and sub-types within these axial categories-are specified, The discussion uses dealers' ex perience to expand and modify existing conceptualization on the norm o f reciprocity. Data were drawn from interviews with 32 semi-institutio nalized heroin user-dealers located in a large western city.