Pattern of Illicit Drug Abuse by Crack Users In Treatment In A Therapeutic Community

Abstract

The identification of illicit drug users’ profile is one of the first activi­ties in the elaboration of public policies. Objective. Current investi­gation described the usage pattern of the main illicit drugs by crack users treated in a Therapeutic Community (TC). Method. A descrip­tive survey, with a series of cases, featuring semi-structured interview, was conducted with 20 crack users treated in a TC in a south region of Brazil. Data were analyzed by simple descriptive statistics. Results. Most users were within the 20 - 39 year-old bracket, were unmarried, had on average 7.4 years of schooling, and were unemployed. The pattern of drug use is characterized by frequent use, with an onset of licit and illicit drugs in their youth. Their life trajectory confirmed an escalation of the use of psychoactive substances, starting with tobacco and / or alcohol and ending with crack. Conclusions. The profile of the cases investigated was similar to that described in the literature, but the presence of polydrug use and a progression in drug use refers to need for public policies to interrupt these characteristics.