1 / 32

Current Trends in New Drug Use in Germany

Explore the distribution and prevalence of new psychoactive substances and methamphetamine in six German federal states. This study assesses consumption patterns, risk factors, and health implications. Recommendations for medical training and intervention strategies are discussed.

leobrock
Download Presentation

Current Trends in New Drug Use in Germany

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. New drug use trends in Germany? The use of new psychoactive substances and methamphetamine in six federal states Elena Gomes de Matos, Tessa-Virginia Hannemann, Josefine Atzendorf, Ludwig Kraus, Daniela Piontek II Lisbon Addicitions Conference 24-26 October 2017, Lisbon

  2. Background • Trends in drug use subject to changes and trends • Lately discussed: New psychoactive substances (NPS), methamphetamine • Lack of epidemiological studies covering a broad geographical range • Regional variation in prevalence? 2

  3. Background Aim: Assess distribution of NPS and methamphetamines in 6 German federal states 3

  4. Methods Hamburg Northrhine- Westphalia Saxony Thuringia Hesse Bavaria 4

  5. Methods • Epidemiological Survey of Substance Abuse (ESA) • Adults aged 18-64 years • Sample sizes: Bavaria (n = 1,916), Hamburg (n = 1,125), Hesse (n = 1,151), North Rhine-Westphalia (n = 2,008), Saxony (n = 1,897), Thuringia (n = 1,543) • Self-administered paper-and-pencil and online questionnaires, telephone interviews 5

  6. Methods • Prevalence rates by federal states • Factors associated with lifetime use (logistic regression analyses) • Predictors: federal state, sex, age, education, consumption of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis 6

  7. Results: NPS prevalence rates Hamburg Northrhine- Westphalia Saxony Thuringia Hesse Bavaria 7

  8. Results: NPS prevalence rates Hamburg Northrhine- Westphalia Saxony Thuringia Hesse Bavaria 8

  9. Results: NPS prevalence rates Hamburg Northrhine- Westphalia Saxony Thuringia Hesse Bavaria 9

  10. Results: NPS prevalence rates Hamburg Northrhine- Westphalia Saxony Thuringia Hesse Bavaria 10

  11. Results: Forms of NPS consumption 11

  12. Results: Methamphetamine prevalence rates Hamburg Northrhine- Westphalia Saxony Thuringia Hesse Bavaria 12

  13. Results: Methamphetamine prevalence rates Hamburg Northrhine- Westphalia Saxony Thuringia Hesse Bavaria 13

  14. Results: Methamphetamine prevalence rates Hamburg Northrhine- Westphalia Saxony Thuringia Hesse Bavaria 14

  15. Results: Methamphetamine prevalence rates Hamburg Northrhine- Westphalia Saxony Thuringia Hesse Bavaria 15

  16. Results 16

  17. Results: Methamphetamine prevalence rates Hamburg Northrhine- Westphalia Saxony Thuringia Hesse Bavaria 17

  18. Discussion: NPS Constant update of medical staff (e.g. emergency department, GP) regarding new NPS trends and symptoms on a national basis • More prevalent than any illicit drug except cannabis • In international comparison rather low consumption prevalence • “Risk factors” similar to other illicit drugs (younger age, low education, use of tobacco and cannabis) • No indications for differences between federal states 18

  19. Discussion • Rarely used in adult general population • Agglomeration in Saxony and Thuringia • Proximity to Czech border (production sites) 19

  20. Results: Methamphetamine prevalence rates Hamburg Northrhine- Westphalia Saxony Thuringia Hesse Bavaria 20

  21. Discussion • Training for medical institutions on symptoms and challenges of methamphetamine in affected regions • Selective and indicative prevention and intervention; nationwide prevention campaigns not recommended • Rarely used in adult general population • Agglomeration in Saxony and Thuringia • Proximity to Czech border (production sites) • Known from clinical populations (treatment data) • Not an “everyday drug” throughout population • Serious health risks 21

  22. Thank you for your attention!

  23. Background and aims Background & aims Methods Results Discussion • Methamphetamine (Crystal Meth) • Globally most widespread illicit drug except cannabis (yet less common than e.g. in USA) • Higher potency and longer half-life period than amphetamine • Long-term effects (e.g. cardiovascular diseases, mental problems) • Indications of higher consumption in federal states close to Czech Republic Background 23

  24. Methods Background & aimsMethodsResultsDiscussion • NPS & methamphetamine • Prevalence (lifetime, 12-months, 30-days) • Consumption frequency last 12 months (methamphetamine) • Consumption forms last 12 months (NPS) • Clinical relevant consumption using the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) • Alcohol, tobacco, cannabis (last 12 months) • Sociodemographic variables (sex, age, education) Variables & instruments 24

  25. Results Figure 2. Consumption of methamphetamine based on lifetime (LT), 12 months (12 M) and 30 days (30 T). n unweighted number. % weighted percent. Background & aimsMethodsResultsDiscussion Figure 1. Consumption of new psychoacitve substances based on lifetime (LT), 12 months (12 M) and 30 days (30 T). n unweighted number. % weighted percent. 25

  26. Results HH Nordrhein-Westfalen Sachsen Thüringen Hessen Bayern 26

  27. Results NPS • Lifetime prevalence between 2.2 % (Bavaria) and 3.9 % (Hamburg) • Maximum 12-month prevalence 1.4 % (Hamburg, Saxony); consumption in last 30-days only in Saxony and Thuringia (0.1 %) • Equal lifetime prevalence across federal states • Lower consumption with higher age and education • Higher consumption associated with alcohol and cannabis use Background & aimsMethodsResultsDiscussion 27

  28. Results Methamphetamine • Lifetime prevalence highest in Saxony (2.0 %) and Thuringia (1.7 %) and Bavaria (1.1 %) • 12-month prevalence between 0.8 % (Thuringia) and 0.4 % (Bavaria, Hamburg); consumption in last 30-days only in Hamburg (0.3 %) and Thuringia (0.2 %) • Higher consumption risk in Saxony and Thuringia • Lower consumption with higher age and education • Higher consumption with tobacco and cannabis use Background & aimsMethodsResultsDiscussion 28

  29. Results Background & aimsMethodsResultsDiscussion Note. Controlled for interview type (written, telephone, online). OR: Odds Ratio. 95 % CI: 95 % Confidence interval. Reference of variable federal states was average of all included federal states. a. Continuous variables. b. Reference category: „low education“. * p < .05. 29

  30. Results NPS – consumption forms • Herbal mixtures most widespread and highest in Bavaria (90.9 %) and Saxony (89.6 %) • Crystals/pills most common only in North Rhein-Westphalia (84.3 %) • Liquids least popular in all states except Saxony Table 2. NPS consumption forms in six federal states. Note. NRW North Rhein-Westphalia. n unweighted number. % weighted percent. Multiple responses allowed. Background & aimsMethodsResultsDiscussion 30

  31. Results Methamphetamine – frequency Table 3. NPS consumption forms in six federal states. 31

  32. Results Methamphetamine – frequency and clinical relevant consumption Frequency • Frequency varied across federal states • At least 10 times consumption highest in Thuringia (7 out of 15) and Saxony (3 out of 4) Clinical relevant consumption • In total nine persons with clinical relevant consumption across federal states • Most prevalent in Thuringia (5 persons) Background & aimsMethodsResultsDiscussion 32

More Related