The Current Situation Regarding the Use of Illegal Drugs in the Czech Republic

Overview

Illegal drugs represent substantial health, social, legal and economical risks both for individuals and the wholesociety. Since 1989 the Czech drug scene has changed rapidly; these changes have resulted in an establishment ofnew market-based drug scene similar to other western European countries. Authors summarise basic data on thewhole spectrum of drug users groups and emphasise that the concept of drug users as patients in treatment or ascriminal offenders only was wrong. So-called recreational drug users are the most prevalent and from the researchpoint of view the least studied group of users mostly without any contact with treatment services or criminal justicesystem. Drug information system introduced in the Czech Republic four years ago is presented; this system allowscomparison with other European countries. It covers surveys on drug use among general and school population,studies on prevalence estimates of problem drug use, treatment demands, drug related infectious diseases and drugrelated deaths. Data on drug related crime, drug consumption and drug seizing are briefly presented.http://www.adiktologie.cz

Key words:
illegal drugs, drug use, drug scene, epidemiological indicators, trends in the drug use.