Pubdate: Thu, 23 Feb 2006
Source: Regina Leader-Post (CN SN)
Copyright: 2006 The Leader-Post Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/regina/leaderpost/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/361
Author: Anne Kyle
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?143 (Hepatitis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

COCAINE, TS AND RS STILL DRUGS OF CHOICE

The latest report on drug users in Regina shows that cocaine, Talwin
and Ritalin remain the drugs of choice, but that crystal meth has
gained a foothold on the streets.

"The drugs most commonly used for injection were cocaine, Ritalin,
Talwin or a combination of the two, and the non-injection drugs used
were alcohol followed by marijuana," said Dr. Maurice Hennink, the
Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region's deputy medical officer.

"In the injection drug use findings, about eight per cent reported
using crystal meth, while in the non-injection drug use crystal meth
was reported in about 14 per cent. So crystal meth is part and parcel
of the various drugs that are being used, but the larger finding is
that cocaine and 'Ts and Rs' still tend to be the more prominent
featured drugs that are used," Hennink said.

Of the 250 Regina drug users surveyed, 55 per cent were male and 50
per cent were 34 years or younger.

"So we are looking really at a younger population," Hennink said,
explaining that 32 per cent of the intravenous drug users surveyed for
the study reported they started injecting drugs when they were 16 or
younger. "The mean age of first injection drug use was about 20 years
of age."

About 87 per cent of the injection drug users in Regina identified
themselves as aboriginal,and 98 per cent called Regina home, although
one in four had lived elsewhere in the six months prior to the
interview that occurred in the spring of 2005.

Injection drug users were most likely to shoot up with close friends,
family members and with partners in sexual relationships, Hennink
said, explaining the study also looked at the sexual behaviour of
injection drug users. It found there was a high use of condoms during
intercourse, but that practice dropped off if the drug user engaged in
oral sex.

"When sexual activity took place outside a relationship as a
client-partner where there was some sort of reward -- either money,
goods or drugs -- then condom use was very high in both males and females.

"That was something that was noted, because in casual sexual
encounters protective measures are important and the participants
reported doing that," Hennink said.

The majority reported being tested at least once for HIV and the
Hepatitis C virus and volunteered to participate in a needle-prick
blood test.

"We found about 2.4 per cent tested positive for both HIV and
Hepatitis C. Another 2.9 per cent or seven individuals were HIV
positive, while 58 per cent tested positive for Hepatitis C.

"That's a significant number who are Hep C positive," Hennink
said.

While Regina's HIV rates are low compared with centres like Toronto,
Ottawa and Vancouver where 15 to 18 per cent of injection drug users
are HIV positive, the rate of Hep C infections are as high as in other
centres, the report noted.

"With such a high number of drug users with Hepatitis C the medical
implications for the individual as well as the system are
significant," Hennink said.

The 2005 report by the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region is part of a
national multi-centre study funded by Health Canada which examines
injection drug user prevalence, drug use and sexual behaviour.

The region has been tracking injection drug use in the city since
2002-03, Hennink said, noting that the next survey, to be conducted in
2007-08, will determine any trends and the effectiveness of the city's
drug use harm-reduction program. 
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MAP posted-by: Tom