Pattern of Substance Abuse in Patients Attending Psychiatry OPD of IGMC, Shimla

Substance abuse has become one of the major contributor to psychiatric morbidity worldwide. The pattern of substance abuse, in patients attending psychiatry OPD of IGMC, Shimla, from the years 2006 to 2008, was studied. Alcohol abuse was found to be the most prevalent, followed by that of cannabis. Opioid, sedative and inhalant abuse trends were found increase over these years. One of the objectives of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme is to improve the quality and comparability of country - specific drug abuse data by developing an information infrastructure in some 100 countries. The Annual Reports Questionnaire (ARQ) is used to gather information from various international and regional organizations, research institutes, and epidemiology networks. Based on the most recent data collected, it is estimated that:  Around 8 million people abuse opiates / heroin, mostly in South East and South West Asia. Heroin abuse is far more wide-spread than it was a decade ago. Sharp increases have been reported in former Soviet Union countries. Increases also have been reported in Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan. Heroin has remained readily available in major metropolitan areas in the United States.  Some 13 million people abuse cocaine worldwide, with the highest prevalence reported in the United States. Many Latin American countries also have high levels of cocaine and bazuco (coca paste) abuse. In the 1995 to 1997 period, cocaine abuse spread in Europe and was stabilized in the main markets of North America. Increases have been reported in the Andean and neighboring countries and along trafficking routes to America and Europe.  141 million people consume cannabis annually. It is the most widely abused drug in all parts of the world. Cannabis abuse is particularly high in western Africa, Oceania, Central America, North America, and a number of European countries. 2