[Summary of illegal drug use in the Czech Republic]

Illegal drugs represent substantial health, social, legal and economical risks both for individuals and the whole society. Since 1989 the Czech drug scene has changed rapidly; these changes have resulted in an establishment of new market-based drug scene similar to other western European countries. Authors summarise basic data on the whole spectrum of drug users groups and emphasise that the concept of drug users as patients in treatment or as criminal offenders only was wrong. So-called recreational drug users are the most prevalent and from the research point of view the least studied group of users mostly without any contact with treatment services or criminal justice system. Drug information system introduced in the Czech Republic four years ago is presented; this system allows comparison with other European countries. It covers surveys on drug use among general and school population, studies on prevalence estimates of problem drug use, treatment demands, drug related infectious diseases and drug related deaths. Data on drug related crime, drug consumption and drug seizing are briefly presented.