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MULTIPLE DRUG ABUSE - EXAMINATION OF DRUG-ABUSE PATTERNS IN MALE PRISONERS

NCJ Number
60437
Journal
International Journal of the Addictions Volume: 13 Issue: 3 Dated: (APRIL 1978) Pages: 493-502
Author(s)
J L MARINI; C I BRIDGES; M H SHEARD
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
AS PART OF A 3-YEAR STUDY OF PERSONALITY CORRELATES OF, AND THE EFFECT OF LITHIUM CARBONATE ON, CHRONIC AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR, 58 MALE PRISONERS WERE STUDIED TO DETERMINE PATTERNS OF PREINCARCERATION DRUG USE.
Abstract
THE AVERAGE AGE OF THE PRISONERS WAS 18.6 YEARS, OF WHOM 50 PERCENT WERE WHITE, 43 PERCENT BLACK, AND 7 PERCENT HISPANIC; 55 PERCENT WERE CLASSIFIED AS DRUG-DEPENDENT. CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO NUMBER OF 'HARD' DRUGS USED REGULARLY GAVE EQUAL PERCENTAGES OF SUBJECTS USING NONE, ONE TO TWO, OR MORE THAN TWO (POLYDRUG USERS). POLYDRUG USERS WERE PREDOMINANTLY WHITE AND OFTEN USED AMPHETAMINES OR HALLUCINOGENS, WHILE THOSE USING ONE TO TWO HARD DRUGS WERE PREDOMINANTLY BLACK, ESCHEWED HALLUCINOGENS, AND PREFERRED NARCOTICS. DRUG USE WAS DESCRIBED QUALITATIVELY BY CONVENTIONAL CATEGORIES AND QUANTITATIVELY BY CATEGORIES OF THE NUMBER OF DRUGS USED REGULARLY, EXCLUSIVE OF ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA, A CLASSIFICATION WHICH AROSE NATURALLY FROM THE INTERVIEW DATA. RESULTS FROM THE SAMPLE SHOWED THAT THE PATTERN OF MULTIPLE OR POLYDRUG ABUSE CAN BE READILY IDENTIFIED AND SEPARATED FROM OTHER DRUG USE STYLES BY MEANS OF THE NUMBERS OF DRUGS USED REGULARLY, AND THAT THIS PATTERN OF DRUG ABUSE HAS STRONG RACIAL DETERMINANTS. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--MJW).

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