Effects Of Drug Use Research Articles

Association between Drug Use and Perception of Mental Health in Women Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia: An Observational Study.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic syndrome characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and mental health issues. It affects approximately 1.78% of the general population; an estimated 4:1 ratio between women and men is observed. It significantly impacts quality of life and carries both clinical and social stigma. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between drug use and mental health in female patients with fibromyalgia. This study is prospective, observational, and cross-sectional. A questionnaire was administered to 544 subjects, achieving a representative sample size from a population of 800,000 subjects by using an algorithm for proportion estimation with a known sampling frame. The selection was non-random, making the sampling non-probabilistic. Logistic regression models were applied to assess the effect of drug use on perception of mental health; presence of symptoms such as comprehension and memory problems, insomnia, depression, and anxiety; and severity of cognitive symptoms and non-restorative sleep. To quantify the impact, odds ratios and confidence intervals have been observed. The findings indicate the non-recommended use of medications and reveal the ineffectiveness and adverse effects of drug interactions on mental health. The use of benzodiazepines and sedative-hypnotics is significantly associated with a negative perception of mental health. Benzodiazepines do not improve symptoms or significantly reduce their severity. SSRI antidepressants do not enhance mental health perception; however, when used exclusively, they are effective in reducing the severity, but not the prevalence, of cognitive symptoms. The results highlight the complexity of pharmacological management in FM and raise concerns about the inappropriate use of ineffective or counterproductive drug interactions affecting patients' mental health. They underscore the need for multidisciplinary and personalized strategies that include close and careful monitoring, as well as the simultaneous use of non-pharmacological treatments that have demonstrated evidence in improving quality of life without negatively affecting mental health, such as patient education, psychological therapy, physiotherapy, and mindfulness.

The family and substance abuser in the mental health institution environment.

South African drug usage demographics are rare. Substance abuse disorder patients and their families have complex interactions. This study examines family members living with drug addict. The study seeks to investigate the experiences of family members living with a substance use disorder (SUD) individual. The research took place in a Gqeberha psychiatric facility. Low-income households were interviewed. This research is qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive study. Recorded and transcribed in-depth patient family interviews were collected. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyse data. The data themes were interpreted using family systems theory. Each of the three main themes has subthemes. The first theme concerns family members' inadequate comprehension of addiction. The subtheme explores family members' denial and failure to recognize substance use disease symptoms. The second theme concerns variations in behaviour that challenge cultural norms. This subtheme addresses hallucinations, delusions, and fury in SUD patients. The third theme addresses the negative effects of drug use on families, potentially leading to divorce. This subtheme focuses on the family's lack of awareness of resources that may have supported them and the SUD individual. Immediate family members are crucial to patient recovery. The family seemed to be struggling living with an SUD relative. Experts should help the family to manage the addict's treatment. Healthcare education can help families cope with substance abusers. This study will assist the nursing administration in discovering ways to help families manage a loved one with an SUD.

Drug-induced change in transmitter identity is a shared mechanism generating cognitive deficits

Cognitive deficits are long-lasting consequences of drug use, yet the convergent mechanism by which classes of drugs with different pharmacological properties cause similar deficits is unclear. We find that both phencyclidine and methamphetamine, despite differing in their targets in the brain, cause the same glutamatergic neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex of male mice to gain a GABAergic phenotype and decrease expression of their glutamatergic phenotype. Suppressing drug-induced gain of GABA with RNA-interference prevents appearance of memory deficits. Stimulation of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area is necessary and sufficient to produce this gain of GABA. Drug-induced prefrontal hyperactivity drives this change in transmitter identity. Returning prefrontal activity to baseline, chemogenetically or with clozapine, reverses the change in transmitter phenotype and rescues the associated memory deficits. This work reveals a shared and reversible mechanism that regulates the appearance of cognitive deficits upon exposure to different drugs.

Sexual initiation age and related risk-taking behaviours among adolescents in urban secondary schools in Nairobi County

Risky sexual behaviour such as early sexual initiation, inconsistent condom use and sexual intercourse with multiple partners are relatively prevalent among youths in sub-Saharan Africa. Sexual intercourse is an important event in one’s life trajectory and the contributory factors are: proximate and distal environments. The proximate environment includes micro systemic influences such as one's attitudes and beliefs, and extends to one's family. The distal environment includes one's community and culture. However, there are core forces which influence personal choices and behaviours like the self, family and community, and networks and cultural influences. While there are a variety of factors that contribute to early sexual initiation, proper parenting behaviour has been identified as a key strategy for reducing adolescents’ risky sexual behaviours. Even though early sexual initiation process is subject to a number of barriers, there is still less focus on parenting behaviour and its relationship with early sexual initiation among adolescents. Therefore, this study applied social survey to assess sexual initiation age and its related risk-taking behaviors among the adolescents in urban secondary schools in Nairobi County. The study found the common period in which adolescents initiate sex and even befriend strangers as age (15-16years). The findings have shown that children are capable of initiating drug use at any given period. This suggests the need for parent to undertake close monitoring of their children at all ages to curb drug abuse and encourage health talk with them on the effects of drug use.

Increased risky choice during forced abstinence from fentanyl on the cued rat gambling task.

The use of illicit opioids has arguably never been more risky; street drug potency can be dangerously high, is often unknown to the consumer, and results in multiple daily fatalities worldwide. Furthermore, substance use disorder (SUD) is associated with increased maladaptive, risky decisions in laboratory-based gambling tasks. Animal studies can help determine whether this decision-making deficit is a cause or consequence of drug use. However, most experiments have only assessed psychostimulant drugs. To assess differences in decision-making strategies both before, during, and after self-administration of fentanyl in male and female Long Evans rats. Male and female Long Evans rats were trained to perform the rat gambling task (rGT), loosely based on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) used clinically, and/or self-administer fentanyl. We used the cued version of the rGT, in which sound and light stimuli signal sugar pellet rewards, as cocaine self-administration has the greatest effects on decision making in this task variant. After training on the cued rGT, female rats self-administered fentanyl more readily, an effect that was most apparent in optimal decision-makers. Contrary to previous reports using cocaine self-administration, decision-making was unaffected during fentanyl self-administration training in either sex. However, risky decision-making increased throughout forced abstinence from fentanyl in males. These findings complement those from human subjects, in whom preference for uncertain outcomes increased before relapse. These data highlight an abstinence-induced change in cognition that is unique to opiates as compared to psychostimulants, and which may critically contribute to the maintenance of addiction and relapse.

Causes and effects of crystal methamphetamine usage among undergraduates in public tertiary institutions in Anambra State: Emerging technological resources for intervention and prevention

This study investigated the causes and effects of crystal methamphetamine usage among undergraduates at public tertiary institutions in Anambra State. It examined its potential intervention and prevention strategies using emerging technological resources. The study was conducted using a descriptive survey research design. Three research questions guided the research. The researchers used two questionnaires to collect data, distributing 200 copies randomly among undergraduate students. The researchers designed the questionnaire and validated by experts specifically for this study. Respondents' personal information was analyzed using percentages, while mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the research questions. The findings revealed among others, that there are reasons behind crystal methamphetamine use among students at public tertiary institutions in Anambra State, Awka, and this use negatively impacts their academic performance and health. The findings also revealed that mobile applications, online counselling platforms and social media campaigns are the emerging technological resources for intervention and prevention. Recommendations were made, including that families should take the lead in combating drug abuse by collaborating with community organizations like town unions should work on preventing the production, sale, and use of methamphetamine within and outside the university environments. It was further recommended that educational institutions like public tertiary institutions in Anambra State could leverage emerging technologies such as mobile applications, online platforms, and social media campaigns to disseminate information about the harmful effects of drug use and provide resources for prevention and intervention. Keywords: Crystal Methamphetamine, Causes, Effects, Usage, Emerging, Technological Resources, Intervention, Prevention.

A STUDY ON THE MENACE OF DRUG ABUSE AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN KOTTAKAL MUNICIPALITY

Adolescent drug abuse is a significant societal issue, influenced by peer pressure, curiosity, and stress, and is particularly prevalent among youth aged 16 to 25. This demographic is experimenting with a range of substances, from cigarettes and alcohol to harder drugs like cocaine and heroin, posing a threat to their health and future. Understanding the patterns, motivations, and consequences of drug use among adolescents is crucial for developing effective prevention and intervention strategies, as this stage of rapid development makes them especially vulnerable to substance abuse.

Effects of a comprehensive educational program on health behaviors and awareness of HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C in men with substance use disorders

BackgroundPoor adherence to health behaviors is one of the considerable challenges among drug users. This issue is especially noticeable among people who use injection methods for consumption, which increases the possibility of contracting HIV and hepatitis B and C. Therefore, it seems that adopting appropriate intervention approaches focusing on all dimensions of health-related behaviors to promote health behaviors is considered. As a result, in the present study, the effectiveness of a comprehensive educational program on promoting health behaviors and awareness of HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C in drug users was investigated.MethodsThis pretest–posttest quasi-experimental study was performed. The participants were 81 men with substance use disorders residing in a rehabilitation center. The participants took part in four training workshops. The workshops focused on mental health, awareness of HIV, and hepatitis B and C with learner-centered approaches.ResultsAccording to the results, the mean score of the health behavior scale in the participants after receiving the intervention of the comprehensive program increased significantly (P < .001). Additionally, the analysis showed that 1 month after the end of the intervention, there was a significant increase in the AIDS, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C scale scores compared to before the intervention (P < .001).ConclusionConsidering the adverse consequences of drug use, especially in users without social support, the need for education as a cost-effective approach to prevent diseases transmitted through high-risk behaviors such as HIV, and hepatitis B and C is considered a basic necessity.

Tendency to Addiction from the Viewpoints of the Youth and Their Parents Based on the Marketing Model (Com-B), in 2020, Yazd

Introduction: The present research was conducted with the aim of explaining the views of teenagers-the adults and their parents regarding the prevention of drug addiction based on the mixed elements of the marketing model (audience needs, access to services, cost, and communication). Methods: This research was conducted based on a qualitative research method using an exploratory method. 14 teenagers-adults and 10 parents, 24 participants were selected through targeted sampling, from the marginal neighborhoods of Yazd in 2019; the neighborhoods included Maryam Abad, Hassan Abad, and Skan. In total, 2 semi-structured in-depth interviews with parents and 3 focused group discussions were conducted with the presence of teenagers and young people in the neighborhood. In this study, the information, including demographic characteristics, and the results of market analysis were obtained with elements of Communication for Behavioral Impact (COMBI) social marketing model; they were investigated using focus group discussions (FGD) and semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Data were analyzed based on the content analysis method. Results: The qualitative study resulted in 63 codes, 26 subcategories, 4 categories, product, location, cost, and promotion according to the COMBI model structures. Product category or behavioral characteristics, having peace of mind, and seeking independence were mentioned by both groups of parents and the youth as the factors of addiction tendency. But, regarding the cost of addiction, while teenagers and the young people considered the social side effects of drug use, such as losing friends, more important, parents were more concerned about the physical side effects of drugs. Location or environmental and social conditions were important for both groups of parents and the youth. Conclusion: The results showed that although both groups of teenagers-the youth and their parents pointed to the social, environmental, and individual factors of addiction, their intended examples were different in many areas. Parents considered the most important factor in the tendency to drugs addiction to be the structure of the audience's need, having peace of mind, compensating for the sense of deficiencies and the need for independence, and the youth suggested the use of virtual space and creating motivation and awareness campaign to prevent addiction as a suitable method. Perceived costs according to the young people were loss of friends, feeling of rejection, loss of self-confidence, and negative view of others towards addiction. One of the reasons for the tendency towards addiction was mentioned by the young people as the location and easy access to drugs, and the parents said that the suitable place for the tendency towards addiction was having a risky and inappropriate family.

Aiding or enabling? Officer perspectives on harm reduction and support services in an open-air drug market

ABSTRACT Police officers are stationed on the frontlines of open-air drug markets and regularly intervene in issues resulting from public drug consumption and overdoses. Police departments are increasingly being asked to adopt harm reduction approaches to deal with the health and safety consequences of drug use. As officer buy-in is essential to intervention success, it is important to assess officer attitudes towards their evolving duties. This study draws on over 400 hours of field observation data with transit officers deployed on an overdose rapid response programme in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighbourhood. Generally, officers were supportive of Narcan for overdose reversal, but some pointed out limitations to its use. Officers also identified how widespread availability of Narcan has changed the local overdose landscape and community response. Officers expressed mixed opinions towards ancillary support via food and clothing distribution by local organisations. They were more supportive of long-term treatment efforts though recognised the rarity of treatment initiation. Findings illuminate a tension in contemporary policing as officers rely less on law enforcement and adapt to harm reduction approaches in their daily work. Their perspectives identify potential benefits to enhanced training and understanding of harm reduction principles among police officers.

Exploring the Relationship between Psychosocial Health and Drug Use among Street Children in Starehe Sub-County, Nairobi, Kenya

Surviving life on the streets is undeniably challenging and takes a toll on the psychosocial well-being of street children, often leading to substance use. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between psychosocial health and drug use among street children in Starehe Sub-County, Nairobi County, Kenya, utilizing the Problem Behavior Theory (PBT). Employing a correlational research design, data were collected from a sample of 100 street children, selected through cluster and simple random sampling from a target population of 30,000 in Starehe Sub-County. Additionally, information was gathered from four officials at the Starehe Children’s Office, eight officials from NGOs/FBOs operating in the sub-county, one sub-county administrator, and four ward administrators. The qualitative data obtained through questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, percentage, and frequencies, along with inferential statistics like Pearson correlation and regression analysis. The presentation of findings utilized charts and tables, while qualitative interview data underwent thematic analysis and were presented in a narrative format. The study's outcomes revealed a noteworthy impact of psychosocial health on drug use among street children, with a significant correlation between the two (r=0.503). The findings suggested that interventions aimed at improving the mental health of street children had a meaningful effect on reducing drug use. Recommendations stemming from the study include the necessity for providing homes to street children to mitigate exposure to stressful conditions leading to mental health issues. Furthermore, the study proposed the implementation of regular free mental healthcare clinics for all street children and emphasized the importance of awareness campaigns to educate them on the detrimental consequences of drug use. Strengthening behavioral counseling, support groups, and creating sober social networks for street children were also highlighted. The study advocated for government and non-governmental organizations to develop programs supporting access to counseling services and training certain street children to provide peer counseling to their fellow youths.

From criminalisation to harm reduction? The forms and functions of police drug diversion in England and Wales

ABSTRACT While drugs policing often involves enforcement interventions that seek to tackle drug offences and drug-related crime through criminal sanctions, it is becoming increasingly apparent that diversion now occupies a central position in police responses to people suspected of either simple possession or an offence related to their drug use. This article draws on findings from a qualitative study of police-led schemes in England and Wales to examine police perspectives on diversion, the rationales behind its various forms, and the problems it is designed to resolve. By giving a voice to the key police actors behind recent local initiatives, interview data reveals that the harmful impacts of criminal sanctions are a significant driver of schemes that divert people away from the criminal justice system and into support services. It is argued that the new wave of police drug diversion is a reaction against criminal justice interventions that emphasise punishment. Police drug diversion is conceptualised as a form of harm reduction policing that has the potential to reduce the adverse consequences of drug use, drug markets, and efforts to control them through the criminal justice system. A further important dimension of the present contribution concerns what diversion signifies about the police mission and broader trajectories in contemporary policing. Police drug diversion is situated within wider organisational shifts towards public health approaches to policing which aim to prevent crime and improve life chances by tackling unmet health, social and economic needs.

Heart Status Regarding Opium and Psychotropics Use in Corpses Referred to Birjand Legal Medicine Center from 2011 to 2018

Background: Coronary artery disease has recently increased from 20 to 45%. Previous studies emphasize a wide range of risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis. The role of inflammatory factors has been proven in the development of coronary artery atherosclerosis. Drugs are effective in coronary artery atherosclerosis by stimulating inflammatory factors. Objectives: This study evaluated the heart status regarding the history of drug and psychotropics use in corpses referred to Birjand Legal Medicine Center from 2011 to 2018. Materiald and Methods: In this case-control study, corpses referred to forensic medicine with a history of substance abuse (case group) and no history of substance abuse (control group) were selected. The data included pathological and toxicological autopsy results. Data analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney and chi-square tests and Spearman correlation coefficient. Results: Of 193 corpses, 126 were in the case group and 67 in the control group. The mean age was 41.82 ± 16.84. The Mann-Whitney test showed that heart weight was significantly higher in cases than in controls (P = 0.018). Mean heart dimensions in the case and control groups were 13 × 10 × 7 and 13 × 9 × 6, respectively, with a significant difference in one dimension (P = 0.014). Coronary artery stenosis results showed mean RC = 52.49, LC = 55.97, CX = 61.84, and LAD = 69.90. There was no significant positive correlation between drug abuse and atherosclerosis (r = 0.119, P = 0.09). Also, a higher prevalence of atherosclerosis was seen in males. Conclusions: Drug use can be a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in people with substance abuse by changing the physical characteristics of the heart. Further studies must investigate the effect of drug use on coronary artery disease development and the factors intensifying these effects.

Edukasi Dampak NAPZA Dalam Mewujudkan Generasi Taat Hukum, Sehat Dan Bermartabat

Drug abuse (Narcotics, Psychotropics and Addictive Substances) is like an iceberg that never reaches the root of the problem. It is as if this case was not handled properly because cases are always discovered from year to year. In fact, efforts have been made by related elements to combat this case, assisted by several elements who have a role in prevention. However, the results of the efforts of the government and related parties will never be seen if they are not supported by community efforts. Therefore, the Bina Bangsa University student work study team (KKM) initiated community service activities in the form of education about the negative impacts of drug use on teenagers. It is hoped that after this activity, teenagers' knowledge of NAPZA will increase. Not only does knowledge increase but awareness of the effects of drug use deters teenagers and makes them reluctant to approach these prohibited substances. From the results of the activities, it can be seen that there has been an increase in the knowledge of teenagers who took part in counseling activities. It is hoped that after increasing knowledge, these teenagers will become anti-drug campaign agents in the community.

Analysis of YouTube content on substance use disorder treatment and recovery.

Emerging literature suggests the role of social media in substance use disorders (SUD). This study aimed to explore the content of YouTube videos for persons on SUD treatment/recovery, describing the users' exposure and engagement metrics and understanding viewers' perspectives. We generated a set of 10 key phrases to search on YouTube. Eighty eligible videos were analyzed using a mixed-methods approach. Content analysis of all videos and thematic analysis of 30 videos were done using the three most viewed videos from each key phrase. The reliability of videos was assessed using a modified DISCERN. The total number of views, likes, dislikes, and comments were noted and created engagement metrics. The linguistic analysis of viewers' comments was done to assess their perspectives. Sixty-three (78.8%) videos were from the US, and 59 (73.8%) were intended for persons or families with substance misuse. Persons in recovery uploaded 23 (28.7%) videos. We identified five themes - reasons for using drugs, symptoms of addiction, consequences of drug use, how to stop drug use, and expressed tone in the language. The positivity and relative positivity ratios were highest for videos developed by persons in recovery. There was a negative correlation between the relative positivity ratio and content fostering internalized stigma. Words with negative emotional experiences dominated the viewers' comments. YouTube content on SUD treatment and recovery is popular and revolves around the biopsychosocial understanding of addiction. There is an urgent need for a language policy and regulation of non-scientific content.

Use of Medicines in Children: Pharmacological and Practical Issues

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; ediatric patients have very different pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles compared to adults. A number of anatomical and physiological factors determine the pharmacokinetic profile of a drug. Differences in physiology in pediatric populations compared with adults can influence the concentration of drug within the plasma or tissue. When considering medication for a child or adolescent, one should be cautious about extrapolating from adult studies or practices. Always remember, children are not small adults. Children tend to have higher rates of metabolism and elimination than adults. As a result, children generally require higher weight-adjusted doses of most medications to achieve similar blood levels as adults. As pharmacokinetics is hard to predict in children, and thus a ‘start low and go slow’ approach is important. This review details key pharmacological and practical considerations which a healthcare professional should be aware of to understand consequences of drug use and dose adjustments in infants and children.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Drug exposure during pregnancy in primary care: an algorithm and observational study from SIDIAP database, Catalunya, Spain

ObjectivesTo develop an algorithm to identify pregnancy episodes in women at childbearing age using SIDIAP (Information System for the Improvement of Research in Primary Care) data (Catalunya, Spain).To describe drugs...

Drug use and suicidal ideation in the daily lives of individuals in a dialectical behavior therapy program.

Substance use disorders and borderline personality disorders (BPD) often co-occur and may be concurrently treated by Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). However, there is limited information on how drug use and suicidal ideation may interact in the daily lives of individuals receiving DBT treatment. This study examined the DBT diary cards of 47 individuals in a community mental health center's partial hospital and intensive outpatient program. Multilevel modeling techniques were used to examine the moderating effects of BPD symptom severity on the relationship between same day, 1-, 2-, and 3-day lagged drug use and suicidal ideation. Results indicated a significant relationship between same-day, 1-day lagged, 2-day lagged drug use and suicidal ideation. BPD was a moderator for the relationship between 1-day lagged drug use and suicidal ideation. Limitations of the study include the measure for BPD symptom severity was only collected pretreatment and the results are likely limited to the effects of cannabis use on suicidal ideation. Clinicians may need to consider the prolonged effects of drug use on suicidal ideation when conducting chain analyses on suicidal behaviors.

Understanding the Mechanisms of Action and Effects of Drugs of Abuse.

Drug abuse and addiction are major public health concerns, with millions of people worldwide affected by the negative consequences of drug use. To better understand this complex issue, a review was conducted to examine the mechanisms of action and effects of drugs of abuse, including their acute and chronic effects, the symptoms of abstinence syndrome, as well as their cardiovascular impacts. The analyzed data were obtained after surveying an electronic database, namely PubMed, with no time limit, grey literature sources, and reference lists of relevant articles. The review highlights the different categories of drugs of abuse, such as opioids, stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, and cannabis, and discusses the specific ways that each drug affects the brain and body. Additionally, the review explores the short-term and long-term effects of drug abuse on the body and mind, including changes in brain structure and function, physical health problems, and mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. In addition, the review explores the effects of drug abuse on cardiovascular health, focusing on electrocardiogram changes. Moreover, the analysis of relevant literature also highlighted possible genetic susceptibility in various addictions. Furthermore, the review delves into the withdrawal symptoms that occur when someone stops using drugs of abuse after a period of chronic use. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge on drug abuse and addiction. The findings of this review can inform the development of evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies to address this critical public health issue.

Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Substance Use in Pregnancy and Associated Neonatal Outcomes [ID: 1342912

INTRODUCTION: We sought to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an increase in positive urine drug screens (UDSs) in labor and delivery and whether the effect of drug use on neonatal outcomes differed before versus during the pandemic. METHODS: In this retrospective chart review, we identified patients from February 4, 2018, to May 11, 2022, with a completed UDS test and classified them into time periods: pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19. Pearson's χ2 test or Fisher's exact test was used to assess whether the proportion of positive tests and the presence of each drug type differed between the periods. A logistic regression was used to explore the effect of time period and test result on neonatal outcomes. RESULTS: We identified 7,648 UDS results; 3.6% were positive in the pre-COVID-19 period and 1.6% were positive in the COVID-19 period (P&lt;.001). We found higher proportions of benzodiazepine and cannabinoid detection in the pre-COVID-19 period (P=.045 and P=.005, respectively). In the COVID-19 period, we found higher proportions of buprenorphine detection (P=.004). In the COVID-19 period, there was a stronger association between positive UDS results and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission compared to the pre-COVID-19 period (odds ratio [OR] 16.78 [95% CI: 9.9, 28.6], 6.2 [95% CI: 3.8, 10.0], respectively). During the COVID-19 period, drug use was found to be a risk factor for small for gestational age (SGA) (OR 4.1 [95% CI: 2.3, 7.4]). CONCLUSION: We found a decrease in drug use during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, drug use during the pandemic was more strongly associated with NICU admission and was a risk factor for SGA.