Drug addicts attending specialised institutions: towards a drug addiction data bank?

In 1986, a national survey was carried out in France among 4846 drug abusers attending specialised agencies and treatment centres. Data are analysed and compared with the results of a previous study in 1972. Most French drug abusers are men (74%) ranged in age from 20 to 29 years (68%). Data suggest increasing problems with heroin (69%), cocaine (13%), solvents (5%), alcohol (26%) and multiple drug dependence. Women are younger, they have attempted suicide more often than men but have been incarcerated half as often. Concerning drug abuse trends, women appear to use increasingly sedatives in combination with other drugs. Partial data concerning HIV seropositivity reveal a rate of 48% among drug abusers having been tested.