NCJ Number: 204136
Title: Patterns of Club Drug Use in the U.S., 2004: Ecstasy, GHB, Ketamine, LSD, Methamphetamine, Rohypnol
Author(s): Jane Carlisle Maxwell Ph.D.
Corporate Author: Gulf Coast Addiction Technology Transfer Ctr
Date Published: February 2004
Page Count: 15
Sponsoring Agency: Gulf Coast Addiction Technology Transfer Ctr
Sale Source: Gulf Coast Addiction Technology Transfer Ctr
Document: PDF
Type: Instructional Material
Format: Article
Language: English
Country: United States of America
Annotation: Based on information from a variety of data sources, this report
discusses the effects and use patterns for "club" drugs (ecstasy,
GHB, ketamine, LSD, methamphetamine, and Rohypnol) for the United States in 2004.
Abstract: The name "club" drugs has been applied to substances that have
been typically used at "raves" and dance parties. The grouping of
these drugs together in a single category because of the location
of their use may obscure the fact that each of the drugs has very
different pharmacological, psychological, and physiological
properties, and there are important differences in the
characteristics of the people who use each of the drugs, as well
as in the patterns of their use. In examining the features and
use patterns of each of the drugs, data were obtained from the
Community Epidemiology Work Group, the Monitoring the Future
Survey, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the Drug
Abuse Warning Network, and the National Forensic Laboratory
Information System. The data indicate that although "club" drugs
as a group have attracted significant national attention, other
than methamphetamine, they constitute a very small portion of the drug abuse problem in the United States. The use of
methamphetamine continues to increase while the use of LSD,
Rohypnol, ketamine, GHB, and ecstasy is apparently decreasing,
although the decreases in the use of ketamine and GHB are less
evident. This report recommends that prevention efforts continue
to focus on perceptions of risk, peer disapproval, and availability. The users of "club" drugs differ in their sociodemographic characteristics, patterns of multiple drug use, and reasons for drug use (psychic effects compared with dependence). Prevention and treatment activities should be
tailored to these differences. The levels of concomitant use of
cocaine by users of ecstasy, GHB, ketamine, LSD, methamphetamine,
and Rohypnol, along with the levels of use of heroin by ketamine
and LSD users are matters of concern regarding the magnification
of treatment needs. Overdose was either the first or second
reason for "club" drug users to seek care in a medical emergency
facility; this suggests the need for specialized protocols for
treating each of the drug types in the acute care setting. The
medical and behavioral treatment protocols must take into account
the pharmacological effects of each drug as well as the characteristics of each client. 10 exhibits and 10 references
Main Term(s): Drug information
Index Term(s): Amphetamines; Designer drugs; Drug effects; Drug use; GHB (gammahydroxybutyrate); LSD (acid); MDMA (designer drug)
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