Drug Misuse
July 22, 2022 DOI: 10.1039/9781839166631-00001 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractIn many English-speaking countries, the term 'misuse' refers to non-authorised use of medicines that can be legally used under appropriate circumstances, while the World Health Organization prefers 'abuse'. The substances are called scheduled or controlled drugs depending on jurisdiction. Over the past 20 years, overall drug use by adults in England and Wales has remained fairly stable, but drug-associated fatal poisonings have reached an all-time high. Cannabis was the most commonly used drug, and about a third of users had taken a Class A drug. Most fatalities are linked to heroin and other narcotic analgesics.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review |
|---|---|
| Population | Adults in England and Wales |
| Topics | Cannabis MDMA |
| Keywords | Heroin Psychiatry Medicine Drug class |
| Key finding | Overall drug use by adults in England and Wales has remained fairly stable over the past 20 years, but drug-associated fatal poisonings have reached an all-time high, with most fatalities linked to heroin and other narcotic analgesics. |
Abstract
The word ‘misuse’ as used in many Anglophone countries signifies the non-authorised use of medicines that can, in appropriate circumstances, be legally used. By contrast, The World Health Organization prefers the term ‘abuse’. Depending on the jurisdiction, the substances in question are referred to as either scheduled or controlled drugs. Overall drug use by adults in England and Wales has remained fairly stable in the past 20 years, although drug-associated fatal poisonings have reached an all-time high. The most commonly-used drug was cannabis (Class B) while around a third had taken a Class A drug. Apart from cannabis and amphetamine, use of other Class B drugs was much lower. Cocaine in any form, MDMA and ‘magic mushrooms’ were the most commonly-used Class A drugs. Most fatalities are associated with heroin and, to a lesser extent, with other narcotic analgesics. Drug seizures by law enforcement agencies are a less good measure of population use since they depend to a certain extent on the level of enforcement. They show a marked decline from the situation ten years ago. Nevertheless, in recent years, cannabis in its various forms has been the most commonly-seized drug, while cocaine including crack cocaine has been the most commonly-seized Class A drug. Despite their high political profile, new psychoactive substances represent a minor aspect of use, seizures and fatalities.