NCJ Number
161666
Date Published
1995
Length
14 pages
Annotation
After providing some general health information for Slovenia, this paper examines drug use (tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs, and over-the-counter drugs) by women, along with the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, drug legislation, and drug policies regarding treatment and prevention.
Abstract
The consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and tranquilizers in Slovenia has been high for the last 20 years, and the use of cannabis, heroin, and cocaine has increased substantially in the last 4 years. It is only in data obtained on the consumption of prescribed and over-the-counter drugs that more women than men use drugs. High levels of alcohol and other drug consumption often accompanies high levels of drug-related problems. Women involved in illicit drug abuse who are pregnant or have children may be especially disadvantaged, since there are no specialized treatment programs for them. Health care professionals and those who care for women during pregnancy and child birth should be trained to provide specific prevention and intervention measures for their clients. Matching patients to treatment and treating co-dependency seem to be two of the most promising strategies in addiction treatment. Currently in Slovenia there is a lack of resources to improve the national response to tobacco, alcohol, and drug problems and for conducting more gender-specific research and interventions. Given the many problems that Slovenia is currently facing, outside help is needed to develop and maintain drug treatment and prevention efforts. Currently, HIV/AIDS is rare in Slovenia, but officials anticipate its increase as intravenous drug use (a high-risk behavior for HIV infection) increases.