Illicit Drug Use

Depressants Slow down CNS and lead to feeling of being relaxed and less inhibited At higher doses, can lead to problems with concentration, unconsciousness and death Include alcohol, cannabis, heroin

Stimulants

Stimulants Stimulate CNS Make person feel awake/alert/confident Speed up heart rate, body temp. rises, increases blood pressure Higher doses can lead to panic, anxiety, aggression, paranoia Amphetamines/methamphetamines Cocaine Ecstasy Tobacco

Hallucinogens Can distort perception of reality; people may see/imagine things that aren't there Cannabis Ecstasy LSD Ketamine ("Special K", "K")

Alcohol Liquor, beer, wine Euphoria, stimulation, relaxation, lower inhibitions, drowsiness

Cannabinoids Marijuana, hashish Euphoria, relaxation, slowed reaction time, distorted perception

Opiods Heroin, opium, many pain meds Euphoria, drowsiness, sedation

Stimulants Coke, meth/amphetamines Exhileration, energy

Club drugs MDMA, ecstasy, GHB Hallucinations, tactile sensitivity, lowered inhibitions

Hallucinogens LSD, mescaline Hallucinations, altered perception

Cannabis use peaked in Aus in 1998 - 1:3 pop. ever used it Amphetamine use peaked in Aus in 1998-2001 - 1:14 pop. ever used it Ecstasy use peaked in Aus in 2004-2007 - 1:10 pop. ever used it Cocaine use has been increasing - 1:14 ever used (in Aus) Heroin use peaked in Aus 1998/1999 - 1:66 pop. ever used it

La

Latest data from USA 2010 Data from population survey of about 60 000 persons each year Illicit drug use in last year (2010) was 8.9% of pop. - 8.7% in 2009; 8% in 2008 2010, 3 million people age 12 or over used illicit drug for first time, mainly weed (62%), diversion of psychotherapeutics (26%), inhalants (9%) Between 2002 and 2010, 22 million people each year met criteria for substance abuse

War on drugs Declared June 1971 by President Nixon In USA between 1998 and 2008, increase in use of... - Opiates by 34.5% - Marijuana by 8.5% - Coke by 27%

27 000 drug OD deaths in USA/year - Heroin 2000 - Coke 5000 - Prescription painkillers 20 000 75 000 deaths each year due to alcohol OD 150 000 deaths attributed to lung cancer - smoking

In USA, some 1.6 million drug arrests in 2010 - 45.8% of all arrests for possession of weed USA has 5% of world's pop. and 25% of world's prison pop. Since 2006, 42 000 people killed in Mexico in gang violence Some USA states have decriminalised offence of possessing weed (covers 35% of US pop.)

Portugal decriminalised drugs in 2001 (small amounts for personal use); since then... Drug deaths have dropped by 40% Reduced level of crime HIV/AIDS reduced by 17% Increased 2x of people in treatment Overall drug use remained stable; pattern similar to rest of world Decline in illicit drug use by younger persons Increase in illicit drug use by middle-aged men - in these groups, no male-female difference

Concerns that way media deals with drugs distorts policy priorities

1971, Nixon said heroin addiction was nation's no.1 public health problem

Study of soldiers serving in Vietnam Concern with number addicted to heroin while serving Study involved representative sample of all enlisted soldiers and extra sample of soldiers who'd tested positive Study involved self-reports of heroin use were checked against urine samples Follow-up of soldiers v. good, as many were young, some still lived with parents (over 90% successfully followed-up) at 8-12mths and 3yrs after leaving Nam About 45% of US army enlisted men tried narcotics: 34% heroin, and 38% opium About 20% reported possible dependency

International drug trade Estimated 200 million people in world use illicit drugs regularly/sometimes Estimated 4.8% of world trade involved sale of illicit drugs

QLD has led Aus in apprehending drug producers and sellers However most illicit drugs remain readily available and easy to get New drugs continue to enter market and increase in popularity

New drugs

New drugs UK, now 600 substances controlled under Misuse of Drugs Act New psychoactive substance (NPS) identified in European Union GBL (Gamma-Butyrolactone) - "coma in a bottle"; high potential for OD; was used as paint stripper; odourless, tasteless; sold online and inexpensive; similar effect to ecstasy

Nitrous oxide used by 350 000 young people in past year - Legal, as it's widely used for medical and industrial purposes but it's unlawful to be sold by unlicensed dealer for recreational purposes

Increased use of internet re: substance use: purchase; sharing of experience; knowledge of risk; counselling; change in market trends In UK, more than 90% of users say they buy some drugs online Estimated that in Aus, parcel post now accounts of r42% of heroin seizures

Silk Road New drug site which works like eBay Sellers and buyers can be in any country Gift certificates available

Atlantis: competitor to Silk Road, charging lowers fees and offering proprietary encryption

Policy options Prevention Harm reduction Treatment Enforcement

Patters of drug use change Types of drugs being used change War on drugs lost long ago Criminal behaviour of drug abuser and massive allocation of resources (prison) of major concern

Different substances

Effects

Stats

War on Drugs

General