Features of the prevalence of injecting drug use in the Republic of Belarus

Abstract

Aim: to analyze the situation with injecting drug use in the Republic of Belarus during the period 2000-2014. Material and Methods. The analysis of the official data on the psychoactive substances' abusers, listed in the Narcological Register of the Ministry of Health in 2000-2014. Results. Over last 15 years the number of registered drug abusers increased three times, whereas the number of injecting drug users (IDUs) increased 2,2 times. The majority of recorded IDUs abused opium-based drugs and only 3% of them injected amphetamine-type stimulants. The increase in the number of recorded persons, who abuse synthetic opioids and analogues of well-known drugs, was noted during the last ten years. Conclusion. The data obtained indicate necessity of the studies on IDUs, and might be useful for working up preventive measures to restrain the spread of drug addiction.

Keywords

• injecting drug users (IDUs)
• Narcological Register
• psychoactive substances