Opium use in two communities of Pakistan ---a preliminary comparison of rural and urban patterns

Interviews were conducted to clarify drug use patterns and characteristics of opium users in two communities. Because of the small number of subjects selected from only two communities, the results are not representative of the country as a whole. Nevertheless, in the city of Rawalpindi 90 users were studied and found to have a mean daily opium consumption of 0.9 grams at a cost of Rs. 1.00 ($US 0.10). Opium was taken by mouth once or twice daily. They were solitary users who first used opium as adults, most often for self-treatment of health disorders. The majority were employed males with no history of criminality. In the rural opium-producing village, 28 users were interviewed. They smoked opium three or four times a day in a social setting and reported a mean daily consumption of 11 grams. They were more likely to use the drug for its social and pleasure effects and to have addicts as close friends. The high dose was associated with adverse effects on work performance and with more severe withdrawal symptoms. The findings suggest different intervention strategies for the two populations.