Multiple Drug Abuse: Examination of Drug-Abuse Patterns in Male Prisoners

Abstract

Preincarceration drug-use patterns were investigated retrospectively in 58 male prisoners, average age 18.6 yr. of whom 50% were white, 43% black and 7% hispanic. Of those classified as drug-dependent [55%], 36% were regular, and 9% were casual users of at least 1 drug. Classification according to numbers of hard drugs used regularly gave equal percentages of subjects using none, 1-2, or more than 2 (polydrug users). The polydrug users were predominantly white and often used amphetamines or hallucinogens, while those using 1-2 hard drugs regularly were predominantly black, eschewed hallucinogens, and preferred narcotics.