Use of new synthetic drugs in Slovenian prisons

Abstract

IntroductionPrisons are a specific environment, in terms of population and various factors that affect health in the broader sense. According to the report of the board of prisons for Slovenia in 2013, 1 078 people who have had problems with illicit drug use were identified, representing 23.04% of all incarcerated persons. Moreover, an increase in the use of various types of new psychoactive substances, the so-called designer drugs, was recorded in recent years.AimsThe research aimed to point out the psychoactive drugs most used in Slovenian prisons and to explore whether these pose a public health issue.MethodsWe conducted statistical research with semi-standardised epidemiological and psychoeducational questionnaires, which were distributed among prison population in Maribor region, Slovenia.ResultsThe analysis of the questionnaires received, which was completed by 54 prisoners, has shown that 54.55% of people aged between 18 and 35 years take synthetic drugs regularly, 30.30% of the population enjoys synthetic drugs occasionally. In the category of over 50 years, no one enjoyed these drugs. The most popular synthetic drugs were synthetic cannabinoids. Although a third of the users of these drugs has experienced at least one side effect, as many as 55.56% do not know how to act in such a case.ConclusionsThis study confirmed that the majority of users of synthetic drugs are young adults who are convinced that their use is less harmful than the use of “ordinary” psychoactive substances. A surprisingly low awareness of side effects measure was stated.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.