Illicit Opiates in Toronto: A Profile of Current Users

Abstract

Untreated opiate use remains a significant problem in most jurisdictions. As a precursor to developing appropriate treatments and to encouraging these individuals to seek treatment, it is essential that the characteristics of this population be understood. The present study was designed to serve a number of purposes, one of which was to describe the characteristics of a sample of opiate users in Toronto, Canada who were not currently in treatment. One hundred fourteen users using opiates regularly who were not in treatment and who were not actively seeking treatment were recruited through a variety of techniques and then interviewed. The study reports on the demographic characteristics of this sample (age, gender, housing, income and income sources), as well as their drug use patterns, health status, previous treatment history and other lifestyle issues. The results suggest that the sample is relatively healthy, that most of them are users of injectable and prescription opiates as well as other controlled drugs, and that their main sources of income were comprised of social benefits and illegal activities. The implications of these findings for treatment options and harm reduction policies are discussed.

The authors would like to acknowledge the cooperation of Dr. Bruna Brands and Ms. Joan Blake, and the Toronto “Finally Understanding Narcotics” (FUN) group in the preparation of this research project. We would also like to thank Laryssa Tyson and Lisa Downs for their skilled assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.

Key Words:

• Opiate use
• heroin use
• harm reduction
• addiction treatment
• Canada