Meth/Amphetamine Use and Associated HIV: Implications for Global Policy and Public Health
International Journal of Drug Policy 21 (2010) 347–358 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect International Journal of Drug Policy journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/drugpo Review Meth/amphetamine use and associated HIV: Implications for global policy and public health Louisa Degenhardt ∗,1, Bradley Mathers 2, Mauro Guarinieri 3, Samiran Panda 4, Benjamin Phillips 5, Steffanie A. Strathdee 6, Mark Tyndall 7, Lucas Wiessing 8, Alex Wodak 9, John Howard 10, the Reference Group to the United Nations on HIV and injecting drug use National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia article info abstract Article history: Amphetamine type stimulants (ATS) have become the focus of increasing attention worldwide. There are Received 29 May 2009 understandable concerns over potential harms including the transmission of HIV. However, there have Received in revised form 30 October 2009 been no previous global reviews of the extent to which these drugs are injected or levels of HIV among Accepted 24 November 2009 users. A comprehensive search of the international peer-reviewed and grey literature was undertaken. Multiple electronic databases were searched and documents and datasets were provided by UN agencies and key experts from around the world in response to requests for information on the epidemiology of use. Keywords: Amphetamine or methamphetamine (meth/amphetamine, M/A) use was documented in 110 countries, Methamphetamine Amphetamine and injection in 60 of those. Use may be more prevalent in East and South East Asia, North America, South HIV Africa, New Zealand, Australia and a number of European countries. In countries where the crystalline Injecting form is available, evidence suggests users are more likely to smoke or inject the drug; in such countries, Epidemiology higher levels of dependence may be occurring.
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