Multiple Drug Use: Patterns and Practices of Heroin and Crack Use in a Population of Opiate Addicts in Treatment

• NCJ Number: 190061
• Journal: Drug and Alcohol Review Volume: 20 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2001 Pages: 201-204
• Author(s): Tracy Beswick; David Best; Sian Rees; Ross Coomber; Michael Gossop; John Strang
• Date Published: June 2001
• Length: 4 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

A total of 116 opiate addicts who attended treatment services in south London (England) were interviewed about their drug-use patterns.

Abstract

In the month before the interview, 90 percent of the sample reported using heroin; 60 percent had used crack cocaine; and 58 percent had consumed an alcoholic beverage. During the same period, 70 percent of study participants reported multiple drug use, particularly concurrent heroin and crack cocaine use. Of the patients who reported using other drugs with heroin, two-thirds used crack cocaine; 11 percent used diazepam; 9 percent used methadone; and 8 percent used cocaine powder. Twenty-six percent of the crack-users sample had injected crack cocaine, which provided confirmation of the increasing prevalence of this recent trend noted in studies that used similar samples. Male participants were significantly more likely to use benzodiazepines with heroin, and women were more likely to use crack alongside heroin (and used larger quantities). These findings have implications for the treatment and management of multiple drug users, for whom opiates may be only a part of their drug-using repertoire. 1 table and 21 references