NCJ Number
190578
Journal
Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine Volume: 7 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2000 Pages: 183-187
Date Published
December 2000
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article examined drug-related deaths among Glasgow city hostel dwellers during the period 1990 - 1999.
Abstract
During the past 2 years the number of hostel residents overdosing within their rooms in the city of Glasgow has increased. Approximately three-quarters of deaths involved heroin, of which 56 percent also involved at least one benzodiazepine. Data were extracted from police sudden death reports, toxicology reports, and post mortem reports. The article demonstrated the dearth of literature relating to drug misuse among the homeless population. The Government has recently pledged a large sum of money to provide accommodations for the homeless and to treat those with mental health, drug, and alcohol problems. The program will eradicate impersonal, dilapidated homeless hostels to make way for modern accommodations and will finance health-related projects. The article suggested the need for the appropriate authorities to also fully investigate and monitor the number of drug users abusing the hostel system. Figures, table, references