Cannabis use among the drug users with compulsory detained detoxification treatment in China

  • Wen-jun TANG ,
  • Hao-xiang TANG ,
  • Yi XING
Expand
  • 1. Peking University School of Public Health; Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
    2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China

Received date: 2020-02-17

  Online published: 2020-06-30

Supported by

Drug Abuse Population Estimation in the Key Cities of the Ministry of Public Security(0716-1541GA590508)

Abstract

Objective: To explore the epidemic situation of cannabis use among drug users with compulsory detained detoxification treatment in China.Methods: Using the data from the Drug Abuse Population Estimation in the Key Cities of the Ministry of Public Security, we analyzed the sociodemographic characteristics and substance use of cannabis abusers with compulsory detained detoxification treatment in 55 provincial capital cities and key cities of China. Chi-square test, Fisher exact test and Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test were used to compare the prevalence of cannabis, heroin, synthetic and mixed drug use among patients with detoxification treatment, as well as the differences in polydrug use and areas among cannabis users.Results: In the study, 25 366 drug users with compulsory detained detoxification treatment were recruited, of whom 2.2% (546/25 366) used cannabis in the previous year before the treatment. The proportion of males was 83.5%, and the proportion of ethnic minorities was 41.0%. Those who received junior high school education or above accounted for 30.8%, and the unemployed accounted for 44.1%. The average age was (33.3±8.2) years, the average age of beginning drug use was (24.8±7.7) years, and the average duration between the first drug abuse and first detoxification treatment was (5.4±4.6) years. The prevalence of cannabis use was higher among those drug users who were 35-year-old and younger, ethnic minorities, employees and residents in Xinjiang. Of the cannabis users, 91.4% used polydrug, 13.6% combined with heroin alone, 42.1% combined with synthetic drugs alone and 35.7% combined with both of heroin and synthetic drugs. Of the cannabis users, 49.6% came from 3 regions: Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jiangsu Province and Shanghai City. The cannabis users in Xinjiang had a high proportion of ethnic minorities who received junior high school education and below. Moreover, 79.6% of them combined cannabis use with heroin. The cannabis users in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai areas had a higher proportion of ethnic Han who received better education (high school and above). Moreover, 92.7% of them combined cannabis use with methamphe-tamine.Conclusion: The prevalence of cannabis use among the population with compulsory detained detoxification treatment is higher than that among drug users under surveillance, but there are obvious regional cluster effect and high possibility of polydrug abuse. Thus, it’s important to strengthen the monitoring of cannabis use, to increase the control of cannabis and to formulate China’s anti-cannabis policy among different population.

Cite this article

Wen-jun TANG , Hao-xiang TANG , Yi XING . Cannabis use among the drug users with compulsory detained detoxification treatment in China[J]. Journal of Peking University(Health Sciences), 2020 , 52(3) : 541 -546 . DOI: 10.19723/j.issn.1671-167X.2020.03.022

References

[1] United Nations Office on Drug and Crime. World drug report 2019 [R]. America: UNODC, 2019.
[2] 中国禁毒网. 2018年毒品形势报告[EB/OL]. ( 2019- 6- 17) [2019-12-13]. http://www.nncc626.com/2019-06/17/c_1210-161797.htm#10006-weixin-1-52626-6b3bffd01fdde4900130bc5-a2751b6d1.
[3] United Nations Office on Drug and Crime. Annual prevalence of drug use [EB/OL]. [ 2020-04-03]. https://dataunodc.un.org/drugs/prevalence_table-2017.
[4] 鲍彦平, 王同, 王子云, 等. 我国五地区合成毒品滥用者中海洛因多药使用特征及相关因素分析[J]. 中国药物依赖性杂志, 2015,24(6):450-460.
[5] 邓亚玲, 徐承海, 张艳丽, 等. 宜昌市498例海洛因成瘾者多药使用情况调查分析[J]. 公共卫生与预防医学, 2010,21(5):72-73.
[6] 方延学, 强晓婷, 荣右明, 等. 北方三省区吸毒成瘾人群多药使用现状及行为特征分析[J]. 兰州大学学报(医学版), 2018,44(2):17-21.
[7] Hasin DS. US epidemiology of cannabis use and associated problems[J]. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2018,43(1):195-212.
[8] Anthony JC, Petronis KR. Early-onset drug use and risk of later drug problems[J]. Drug Alcohol Depend, 1995,40(1):9-15.
[9] Ellickson PL, Tucker JS, Klein DJ, et al. Antecedents and outcomes of marijuana use initiation during adolescence[J]. Preventive Medicine, 2004,39(5):976-984.
[10] Bagot KS, Milin R, Kaminer Y. Adolescent initiation of cannabis use and early-onset psychosis[J]. Subst Abus, 2015,36(4):524-533.
[11] Green KM, Doherty EE, Ensminger ME. Long-term consequences of adolescent cannabis use: Examining intermediary processes[J]. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse, 2017,43(5):567-575.
[12] 阿里甫·司马义. 新疆大麻毒品犯罪的特点和对策[J]. 新疆大学学报(社会科学版), 2003,31(4):42-46.
[13] 阿里木·赛菲, 王小骄. 新疆禁毒史探[J]. 新疆大学学报(社会科学版), 2004,32(2):79-82.
[14] 李欣庭. 新疆地区大麻毒品违法犯罪现状与对策思考[J]. 云南警官学院学报, 2018(2):20-24.
[15] 赵安晓宇, 陈帅峰. “金新月”地区毒品问题对新疆的影响及应对策略[J]. 江西警察学院学报, 2018(6):32-36.
[16] 李欣馨. 上海市145例大麻滥用情况分析[J]. 中国药物滥用防治杂志, 2019,25(1):22-23.
[17] Miech RA, Johnston L, O'Malley PM, et al. Trends in use of and attitudes toward marijuana among youth before and after decriminalization: The case of California 2007-2013[J]. Int J Drug Policy, 2015,26(4):336-344.
[18] Shi Y, Lenzi M, An R. Cannabis liberalization and adolescent cannabis use: A cross-national study in 38 countries[J]. PLoS One, 2015,10(11):e0143562.
[19] Keyes KM, Wall M, Cerdá, et al. How does state marijuanapolicy affect US youth? Medical marijuana laws, marijuana use and perceived harmfulness: 1991-2014[J]. Addiction, 2016,111(12):2187-2195.
Outlines

/