Reasons For Drug Use Research Articles

Drug Misuse Among Pediatric Patients: Encounters in the Prehospital Field.

Few data describing prehospital pediatric substance misuse exist. The objective of this study was to characterize substance misuse in North Carolina pediatric patients receiving emergency medical services (EMS) care. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of patients aged < 16 years transported by EMS for substance misuse. Data were obtained from a statewide repository including patients treated for confirmed or suspected misuse of marijuana, alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids, stimulants, acetaminophen, antidepressants, or other drugs. Of 45,855 EMS encounters, 448 patients misused drugs. Most patients were female (56.7%), White (50.9%), adolescent (73.8%), and resided in Central North Carolina (54.0%). A plurality of cases was rural (46.2%), followed by urban (27.9%) and regional city/suburban counties (25.7%). Calls most often originated in residential locations (68.5%). Drugs identified during EMS calls included alcohol (24.2%), marijuana (24.2%), benzodiazepines (8.8%), antidepressants (8.8%), stimulants (6.8%), opioids (5.9%), and other medications (17.6%). Motivations for drug use were recreational (58.4%), self-harm (24.6%), and accidental (17.0%). Due to insufficient data documentation, one EMS system was removed from analysis. Additionally, misclassification of type of drug or intention of drug use is possible due to the use of free-text patient narratives. EMS responded to a vast variety of drug misuse among pediatric patients including prescription medications, alcohol, marijuana, and illicit drugs. Accidental ingestions occurred exclusively in infant/preschool ages and intent for recreation or self-harm primarily occurred in adolescents. By increasing awareness of the more common pediatric patient characteristics associated with the type and reason for drug use, EMS agencies can improve pediatric readiness among prehospital clinicians.

ФОНОВІ ЯВИЩА ТА ЇХ ВПЛИВ НА ВІЙСЬКОВУ ЗЛОЧИННІСТЬ

The article addresses to the study of certain background phenomena and their impact on military criminality. The authors identify the most common background phenomena, such as drug addiction, substance abuse, drunkenness, gambling, professional burnout and excessive professional stress, suicidality, discriminatory news framing, and political censorship. The authors analyze the features of the latter phenomena and their impact on military criminalty. It is established that these phenomena have background properties that directly determine the determinants of military criminality, ways to correct the negative manifestations of the personality of a military offender and the directions of its prevention. As a background phenomenon drug addiction causes military criminal offenses, undermines military discipline, reduces the combat capability of military formations and endangers the lives of both the servicemen and their comrades. The reasons for drug use among military personnel are high levels of stress, physical and psychological exhaustion, the availability of drugs, and the influence of the environment. Overcoming this problem requires a comprehensive approach, including a set of organizational, social, psychological, pedagogical, and medical measures, strict control over discipline, and measures to prevent drug addiction and taxi addiction among military personnel. It is found that the main causes of gambling addiction among the military personnel are the inability to control the state of excitement after combat, low self-esteem, the desire for quick enrichment, and, in some cases, heredity, as well as stressful situations that encourage a person to distract from the problem by getting a “dose of quick dopamine.” Suicidal behavior is being proven to be another antisocial phenomenon that has a negative impact on military crime. The ways of preventing this phenomenon include: intensification of the work of military psychologists, improvement of educational work aimed at preserving and strengthening the mental health of military personnel. Discriminatory news framing has side negative effects on military service, so it is advisable to change the media narratives of heroizing military service, the latter should be considered as an employer, and military service is a type of activity with its own characteristics. The article determines that the prevention of these background phenomena should be comprehensive and include: general social measures – organizational, social, psychological and pedagogical, medical, media (full information on the peculiarities of military service in war conditions is open); individual measures – strict control over compliance with discipline, ensuring the implementation of the suicide prevention mechanism, psychosocial support for servicemen. Key words: background phenomena, military criminality, military criminal offenses, unauthorized leaving of a military unit or place of service, evasion from military service, drug addiction, drinking, gambling, suicidology, emotional burnout, framing, crime prevention.

Coproduction in evaluating a dual diagnosis tool with youth in a residential mental health service

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to utilise a lived experience (LE) informed/co-designed approach to explore the service-user experience of using the reasons for use package (RFUP) within a youth residential rehabilitation mental health setting.Design/methodology/approachLE researchers (those who have lived through mental illness or distress), Master of social work students, a community of mental health service manager, community of mental health researchers, dual diagnosis service researchers and university-based researchers collaborated on the project. The study used an exploratory, qualitative approach of semi-structured interviews to invite young people's experiences of the resource. The research team conducted a collaborative thematic analysis drawing on the range of perspectives.FindingsThrough five interviews with young people, key themes identified included: client factors and extra-therapeutic events, relationship factors, technique/model factors/delivery and outcomes/things noticed.Practical implicationsThe RFUP was a useful clinical tool with the young people in this pilot as it improved awareness of reasons for drug use and impact on mental health, service user to staff relationship, quality of the resource, mode of delivery and participant self-knowledge.Originality/valueYoung people valued the supportive role that the RFUP played in facilitating positive relationships with their workers.

Poly-drug use among female and male commercial sex workers visiting a drop in centre in Mombasa County, Kenya.

The relationship between commercial sex work and drug use is complex and the two exacerbate each other. In Kenya, Mombasa County has one of the highest populations of drug users and commercial sex workers. Despite documentation of drug use among sex workers, most of the studies are based on self-reported history which is prone to social desirability and memory recall biases. It is in this context that we sought to establish actual drug use is this sub-population. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine self-reported and confirmed drug use among 224 commercial sex workers accessing services at Mvita Drop-in. Actual drug use was determined qualitatively using 6 panel plus alcohol Saliva Test kit. The overall prevalence of self-reported and confirmed current use for at least one drug was 98% and 99% respectively. Regardless of the technique used, alcohol and tobacco products were the most consumed substances. Alcohol use increased significantly with age (P = 0.03). Risk of cigarette use and testing positive for cotinine was higher among those age 18 to 35 years compared to >35years at P = 0.001 and P = 0.002 respectively. Poly-drug use was common with 98% testing positive for more than one drug. The reason for drug use was sex work related pressure (88%) with 60% of the respondents reporting they cannot transact this business without drugs. Almost every commercial sex worker is a poly-drug user. We recommend targeted interventions for commercial sex workers.

Epidemiology of Drug Use in Herat - Afghanistan.

Drug addiction is one of the alarming public health and social problems in Afghanistan and around the world. Addiction denotes the habitual use or the physical or mental dependence on narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances. Drug addicts who were admitted to six public addicts' rehabilitation centers in Herat, Afghanistan between March and July 2019 were recruited for this descriptive study. A total of 299 drug addicts were included in this study. A 77-item questionnaire containing three subscales: 39 items for personal information, 32 items for drug use, and 6 items for dependence and treatment subscale were validated and used for data collection. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows v.22.0 was used for data analyses. The median age of the participants was 30 years. Of all participants, 79.1% were male, 56.6% were illiterate, and 1.7% were university graduates. In this study, 44.8% of the participants used heroin, 20.7% used opium and 15.4% used methamphetamine. Almost half of the participants (49.5%) declared that at least one member of their families was a drug user. Of the 299 drug users included in this study, 64.9% stated that at least one person close to them (except family members) used drugs. Over two-thirds of the participants (78.4%) had easy access to drugs, 26.8% had broken laws for money/drugs at least once. This study revealed that male illiterate teenagers living in low-economic nuclear families were more vulnerable to drug use in Herat, Afghanistan. The most common reasons for drug use were curiosity, peer influence, and seeking pleasure.

The Chemsex ‘Consent Ladder’ in Male Sex Work: Perspectives of Health Providers on Derailment and Empowerment

Sexualized substance use or ‘chemsex’ is a key element in the syndemic of violence and infection in gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men. Chemsex is more prolific amongst men who have sex with men but is also associated with high risk behaviours that can negatively impact on health and wellbeing in heterosexual, bisexual men and women, and in homosexual women too. This qualitative study investigated perceptions and experiences of chemsex, motivations, cisgender male sex work, consent, economic exploitation, and ways to address and reduce harms. We conducted semi-structured interviews with health care providers and their clients—including sex workers and their customers (n = 14) between the ages of 28 and 46 years following a purposive sampling strategy. Interview topics included perceptions and experiences of chemsex use, reasons for drug use and chemsex, and proposals to address harms associated with chemsex in the UK. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, coded, and analysed using Grounded Theory. The findings revealed a stepwise process of chemsex use in a ‘ladder of consent’, whereby the process starts with willing participation that is both highly pleasurable and controllable. Sexual polydrug activity often descended in rungs so that lines of consent became blurred, and even broken, resulting in physical detriment and financial exploitation. Strategies for elevation back up the consent ladder also emerged. The findings clarify the conditions of willing participation, the stepwise relationship to exploitation, and the support strategies that help re-empower individuals whose lives get taken over by chemsex, including peer-to-peer support, poly-centres, and smartphone apps to climb back up the consent ladder to improve the health, safety, and social rights of sex workers.

A health metadata-based management approach for comparative analysis of high-throughput genetic sequences for quantifying antimicrobial resistance reduction in Canadian hog barns

New Canadian regulations have required that all use of antibiotics in livestock animal production should be under veterinary prescription and oversight, while the prophylactic use and inclusion of these agents in animal feed as growth promoters are also banned. In response to this new rule, many Canadian animal producers have voluntarily implemented production practices aimed at producing animals effectively while avoiding the use of antibiotics. In the swine industry, one such program is the ‘raised without antibiotics’ (RWA) program.In this paper, we describe a comprehensive investigative methodology comparing the effect of the adoption of the RWA approach with non-RWA pig production operations where antibiotics may still be administered on animals as needed. Our experimental approach involves a multi-year longitudinal investigation of pig farming to determine the effects of antibiotic usage on the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and pathogen abundance in the context of the drug exposures recorded in the RWA versus non-RWA scenarios.Surveillance of AMR and pathogens was conducted using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in conjunction with open source tools and data pipeline analyses, which inform on the resistome, virulome and bacterial diversity in animals and materials associated with the different types of barns. This information was combined and correlated with drug usage (types and amounts) over time, along with animal health metadata (stage of growth, reason for drug use, among others). The overarching goal was to develop a set of interconnected informatic tools and data management procedures wherein specific queries could be made and customized, to reveal statistically valid cause/effect relationships.Results demonstrating possible correlations between RWA and AMR would support the Canadian pig industry, as well as regulatory agencies in new efforts, focused on reducing overall antibiotics use and in curbing the development and spread of AMR related to animal agriculture.

Drug use evaluation in pregnant women attending antenatal care in Shashemene Referral Hospital, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia.

Objectives:The main aim of this study was to estimate relative proportions of medication use according to different pregnancy risk categories (A, B, C, D, X) among pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) visits at Shashemene Referral Hospital.Methods:A hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at Shashemene referral hospital from February 2016 to February 2017. Structured data collection form was used to capture data from patient medication cards. SPSS version 16.0 was used to analyze the results after entering and importing from MS-Excel.Results:A total of 317 pregnant women cards were collected and assessed during the study period in May, 2017. Most, 208(65.6%), of the pregnant women were in their second trimester of pregnancy followed by third trimester, 78(24.6%). Tetanus prevention in pregnancy, 274(86.4%), was the most common reason for drug use. Number of medications prescribed was highest, 384(68.2%), in second trimester followed by third trimester, 130(23.1%). More than half, 305(54.2%), of the drugs prescribed were under category C, tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccine alone accounting for 274 (89.8%) of them, followed by 36.8% from category A.Conclusion:Vaccines, vitamins and minerals were the most frequently prescribed medications. The overall drug use condition during pregnancy in this study was inappropriate as more than half of the prescribed medications were from category C. On the other hand, category X medications were not prescribed.

An exploration of the understandings of drug use from young drug users’ perspectives in the Western Cape: implications for primary prevention

ABSTRACTThe high rate of substance abuse among youth in South Africa is a clear indication of the level to which this issue has infiltrated the South African society. Drug abuse at an early age has been associated with problems, such as risky sexual behaviours, health problems, depression, crime, and ultimately drug addiction, which often occur at a later stage. There are many interrelated reasons and risk factors for drug use among youth and studies have mostly focussed on familial and other broader social environments such as peer/neighborhood factors for use. Less attention has been focussed on the internal or psychological factors at play in the lives of young users. This study aimed to fill this gap by exploring young drug users’ perceptions of the internal or psychological factors cited as their reasons for drug use. A better understanding of the internal risk factors that influence adolescent drug use is crucial for the development of effective prevention strategies. A qualitative method of inquiry was applied to gather in-depth data from a purposive sample of 41 young (14–19 years of age) drug users, at five drug treatment centres in the Western Cape. The findings of this study revealed that internal factors such as a permissive and/or positive attitude towards drugs, a deficit in social skills; a lack of self-esteem, and poor/maladaptive coping mechanisms were at play in the lives of the adolescents in this study. Implications for primary prevention were considered, as these findings underscore the need to consider these internal risk factors when developing interventions to reduce adolescent drug abuse.

An exploratory study on the prevention of drug abuse among the adolescent students

ABSTRACTThis research set out to provide an understanding of how drug use can be prevented amongst school-aged adolescents in Trinidad and Tobago. Adolescent drug use is an increasing problem that has been receiving attention in the media lately. Participants were randomly selected at schools and were given consent forms to receive parental consent, which once granted, they were able to participate in the study. This study shows that there is a high prevalence of alcohol use in our society and easy access to substances are some reasons for drug use among adolescents. Other drugs adolescents also engage with at varying levels are over a counter cough and cold medicine, lean, cigarette and marijuana. Drug involvement level among adolescents appeared high from one area experienced compared to their colleagues from another area. This study suggests a community approach to drug prevention as it has been proven that youths who are engaged in constructive activities show lower drug use and involvement in undesirable behaviors. This study also advocates for more cultural awareness and vigilance enforcing the laws around adolescents’ access to clubs/bars and access to illicit substances.

A concurrent pictorial drug choice task marks multiple risk factors in treatment-engaged smokers and drinkers.

Concurrent choice tasks, where participants choose between a drug versus natural reward, predict dependence vulnerability in animals and humans. However, the sensitivity of concurrent choice tasks to multiple risk factors in treatment-engaged drug users has not been comprehensively tested. In experiment 1, 33 recently hospitalized smokers who were engaged with the smoking cessation service made forced choices between enlarging pictures of people smoking versus not smoking. In experiment 2, 48 drinkers who were engaged in an outpatient alcohol treatment service made forced choices between enlarging pictures of alcohol versus food. In these experiments, percent drug picture choice was significantly associated with dependence severity, craving, self-reported reasons for drug use (negative coping and cued craving), depression, anxiety, withdrawal intolerance, drug use frequency prior to treatment, and current abstinence status (coefficients ranged from r=0.39 to 0.66). The concurrent pictorial drug choice task is sensitive to multiple risk factors in clinical, treatment-engaged drug users, and may be used to identify individuals requiring more support, to test experimental treatment manipulations, and to translate to animal concurrent self-administration procedures.

Chemsex among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in Singapore and the challenges ahead: A qualitative study

BackgroundSexualised substance use, or 'chemsex' has been shown to be a major factor driving the syndemic of HIV/AIDS in communities of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) around the world. However, there is a paucity of research on chemsex among GBMSM in Singapore due to punitive drug laws and the criminalisation of sexual behaviour between men. This qualitative descriptive study is the first to explore perceptions towards, motivators to engaging in, and the barriers to addressing the harms associated with chemsex among GBMSM in Singapore. MethodsWe conducted 30 semi-structured in-depth interviews with self-identifying GBMSM between the ages of 18–39 in Singapore following a purposive sampling strategy. Interview topics included participants' perceptions of drug use among GBMSM in Singapore, perceptions towards chemsex, reasons for drug use and chemsex, and recommendations to address the harms associated with chemsex in Singapore. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, coded, and analysed using thematic analysis. ResultsParticipants reported that it was common to encounter chemsex among GBMSM in Singapore as it could be easily accessed or initiated using social networking phone apps. Enhancement and prolongation of sexual experiences, fear of rejection from sexual partners and peers, and its use as a means of coping with societal rejection were three main reasons cited for engaging in chemsex. The impact of punitive drug laws on disclosure and stigmatisation of GBMSM who use drugs were reported to be key barriers towards addressing chemsex. Participants suggested using gay-specific commercial venues as avenues for awareness and educational campaigns, and social media to reach out to younger GBMSM. ConclusionsThis study highlights the complexities behind chemsex use among GBMSM in Singapore, and the range of individual to institutional factors to be addressed. We recommend that community-based organisations and policy-makers find ways to destigmatise discussion of chemsex and provide safe spaces to seek help for drug use.

Demand for Narcotics in Thailand, with Policy Implications

The paper examines the demand for narcotic drugs, based on Becker (1968), as purported rational behavior of human beings. The results from sampling surveys in eight provinces in Thailand in 2014, representing nationwide drug users/addicts, show that the demand for narcotics (amphetamines, ice drug, and marijuana) are price inelastic (between -0.533 and -0.701), as well as normal goods. The key econometric coefficients in models A and B are 0.192 and 0.0467, respectively, and an increase in income will lead to an increase in the demand for narcotics. In addition, factors affecting the demand for narcotics are the age and age squared of the user, friendship, family member relationship, social relationship, reasons for drug use, risk behavior, and expected punishment. Public policy implications are also proposed and analysed.

Drug use and health behaviour among German men who have sex with men: Results of a qualitative, multi-centre study

BackgroundMen who have sex with men (MSM) are a risk group for new HIV infections. Drug use among men who have sex with men is often accompanied by risky sexual behaviours. Local AIDS help centres and gay advice centres are recording an increase in drug use among MSM clients in Germany. This study examines reasons for drug use and drug use contexts for MSM, including syndemic factors and experiences of social support.MethodsThe study is based on a qualitative research approach. We conducted 14 structured, in-depth interviews with substance-using MSM in three German cities. An interview guidance document was used that was developed on the basis of the syndemic approach. Data analysis was based on structured analysis of content.ResultsThe MSM interviewed had extensive experience of drug use, in particular amyl nitrate, amphetamines, methamphetamine, ketamine, cocaine and cannabis. The drugs were used both at parties and in connection with sexual experiences (chemsex). Twelve men said that they had an existing HIV infection at the time of the interview. The men also reported experiences of violence and discrimination because of their sexual orientation. The social networks of the MSM and dating apps are highly relevant for experiencing chemsex. Certain places in the MSM community also have an impact on drug purchase, drug consumption and chemsex sessions.ConclusionsMSM are a group that is vulnerable to psychological problems, in particular problematic drug use. This group requires specific help from drug services and AIDS support services that are orientated towards the life situation and substance use contexts of the clients. Both support systems should work together more closely and network. Furthermore, specific prevention strategies, aimed at both mental and physical well-being, should be developed for substance-using MSM.

Health problems of young people in the municipality of Foca / Zdravlje i problemi mladih u opštini Foča

Young people, according to UN defiiniciji, represent the future of every society and they are the most profitable long-term investmentEach year, approximately 1 million teenage girls become pregnant in the world, and every 67 seconds a baby teenager In the adolescent period a large number of young people start with alcohol, coffee, psychotropic substances and smoking. The reasons are most often the desire to prove, identification, affirmation sekusalnog identity, curiosity for the new and unknown. The aim of the study was to examine the knowledge, attitudes and knowledge of adolescents about the use of psychoactive substances, alcohol and tobacco, as well as to identify ways in which young people use their free time. The survey was conducted in April 2015, in primary and Secondary School in Foca. The survey included 212 respondents, of different genders and different age groups. Data were collected original survey questionnaire, anonymous character, which contains 14 questions.Both groups of patients in a large percentage stated that they did not try psychoactive substances, as the most common reason for drug use both cited as the main reason for the influence of society. Although sexual activity is still taboo in the RS, alarming data that 19% of ninth grade students sexually active, and to limit entry into sexual relations increasingly lowered.Young in primary and secondary school state that they are sufficiently informed of psychoactive substances, as the most frequent source of information for high school state TV and the Internet, and ninth grade students report that they are parents. In this time of adventure and immature display of defiance social and social norms, young people are very vulnerable group subject to acceptance of various forms of risk behavior.

Drogas e violência: percepção social em uma comunidade

Objetivou-se investigar a percepção social sobre drogas de abuso e violência em uma comunidade do Noroeste do Paraná. Pesquisa transversal, descritiva, utilizando questionário estruturado, aplicado a 358 moradores. Dos 358 entrevistados, 98,6% referiram que percebem a presença de drogas em elevada intensidade (82,4%), situação considerada “preocupante” para 56,1% e motivo de sofrimento para 61,5%. Setenta e oito entrevistados (22,1%) informaram que a presença de drogas causou alteração em sua vida familiar (22,1%) e social (29,5%) e no comportamento familiar (24,9%), e 72,6% apontaram restrições em suas atividades pelo medo de sofrer violências. O principal motivo da circulação e consumo de drogas foi relacionado à ausência de policiamento (31,4%). A maioria (90.2%) percebe a presença de violência e destes 93,8% a relacionaram com o uso de drogas. A presença de violência foi majoritariamente relacionada ao uso de drogas, e ocorre devido à ausência de policiamento e combate ao tráfico na comunidade.

Illicit drug use in acute care settings.

While persons with addiction are often hospitalised, hospitals typically employ abstinence-based policies specific to illicit drug use. Although illicit drug use is known to occur within hospitals, this problem has not been well characterised. Therefore, we sought to investigate the prevalence of and factors associated with having ever used drugs in hospital among people who use drugs in Vancouver, Canada. Data were derived from prospective cohort studies of people who use drugs between December 2012 and May 2013. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify demographic and behavioural factors associated with having ever used illicit drugs in hospital. Among 1028 participants who had experienced ≥1 hospitalisation, 43.9% reported having ever used drugs while hospitalised. In multivariable analyses, factors positively associated with having ever used drugs in hospital included daily cocaine injection and daily crack non-injection (both P < 0.05). Factors negatively associated with the outcome included older age and male gender (both P < 0.05). The most common reasons for drug use in hospital were 'wanting to use' and 'being in withdrawal'. Drugs were most commonly used in patient washrooms. Our findings demonstrate that an abstinence-based approach to drug use in hospitals may be ineffective at prohibiting drug consumption. High-risk drug use behaviours arising from ongoing drug use may pose risks for further harm and illness. Efforts to minimise the harms associated with using drugs in hospital are urgently needed. [Grewal HK, Ti L, Hayashi K, Dobrer S, Wood E, Kerr T. Illicit drug use in acute care settings. Drug Alcohol Rev 2015;34:499-502].

Pattern and reasons for substance use among long-distance commercial drivers in a Nigerian city.

To determine the pattern and reasons for psychoactive substance use by long-distance commercial vehicle drivers in a Nigerian city. All licensed long-distance commercial vehicle drivers who travel a distance of at least 500 km from the city metropolis were recruited. Each fourth consecutive driver who was to load his vehicle for the day was interviewed at the 10 long-distance motor parks. They responded to a sociodemographic and semi-structured pro forma requesting the type of drug used and the reason and pattern of use. The data obtained were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 16. All the respondents were males with a mean age of 43.4 years. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean age of substance users and nonusers (t = 0.491, P = 0.853). The reasons given for drug use were to keep awake while driving, for pleasure, as part of the culture, peer influence, as a substitute for food and for no obvious reason. The pattern of use tended to be related to the reason given for the use. The reason for drug use in long-distance drivers could be used to modify the pattern of use to minimize the risk associated with drugged driving.

Clenbuterol toxicity: a NSW Poisons Information Centre experience

To describe the epidemiology and toxicity of clenbuterol in exposures reported to the NSW Poisons Information Centre (NSWPIC). Retrospective observational study analysing data from all calls about clenbuterol exposure recorded in the NSWPIC database from 1January 2004to 31December 2012. The NSWPIC coversthe Australian jurisdictions New South Wales, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory 24hours a day and provides after-hours cover for the rest of Australia for 7nights each fortnight. Total number of exposures, source of call (hospital, health care worker, member of the public), time from exposure to call, reasons for drug use, clinical features and advice given. Callers reported 63exposures to clenbuterol, with a dramatic increase from three in 2008to 27in 2012. Of the 63calls, 35were from hospital, two from paramedics, one from general practice and 21direct from the public. At least 53patients (84%) required hospitalisation. The commonest reasons for use were bodybuilding and slimming. The most common features were tachycardia (24patients), gastrointestinal disturbance (16) and tremor (11). Exposure was also associated with cardiotoxicity including one cardiac arrest in a 21-year-old man. Although a well recognised doping issue among elite athletes, clenbuterol use has spread out into the general public, especially during 2012, and should be considered in patients using bodybuilding or slimming products who present with protracted sympathomimetic features. The potential for misuse of this substance requires reconsideration of its current poison schedule registration and its availability.

Drug Use amongst South African Youths: Reasons and Solutions

A literature study of the reasons for drug use amongst South African youths revealed that they are presented in a fragmented manner and not in a holistic way which would facilitate an integrated understanding of this social ill. This article places the key reasons for drug use amongst South African youths, namely the vulnerability of youths, peer pressure, inadequate role modelling by parents and significant others, community tolerance, availability of drugs, underactualisation of metaphysical values, poverty and unemployment, violence and national forces within Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system to address this shortcoming. The etiology of drug use amongst South African youths, considered in an integrated perspective, would result in a better understanding thereof and could serve as a permanent basis for addressing the problem of drug use amongst South African youths at any particular period of time. Recommendations based on an integrated perspective of the etiology of this problem are also provided. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n14p581