Drug use and social circumstances: a study among different target groups in northwest Bangladesh

The use of illicit drugs has become an increasingly serious problem among various sections of the Bangladesh population. However, there has been almost no research on the use of illicit drugs by Bangladeshi people. This paper examines drug use patterns and the social circumstances within which drug-taking behaviour took place among a sample of different target groups. The study incorporated a semi-structured qualitative interview and a structured quantitative questionnaire. Demographic and drug use information was collected from a total of 154 drug users. Approximately three-quarters of the subjects reported that they had used alcohol and ganja in the month prior to being interviewed. The findings revealed interesting differences between the groups. For example, the student group was found to use phensidyl syrup (67%) more often than those of other groups and did not differ significantly in the use of ganja. The use of heroin and sedatives was widespread, with nearly one-third of subjects (40%) reporting having injected these drugs. The majority (41%) of most recent drug use occurred in conjunction with a group of people. Drug use was associated with frustration, peer pressure, family problems and curiosity. Peer education programs are likely to be the most effective harm reduction approach among new drug users. The implications of these findings are discussed.