Psychostimulant Use in Scotland

1
Psychostimulant Use in Scotland

• What are psychostimulants
• What are the favourites in Scotland
• How many people using
• Types of users
• What trends
• What needs to be happening in response

2
What Are Psychostimulants

• Substances which excite the central nervous
  system
• Two main types naturally occurring and
  synthetics
• Naturals Nicotine, caffeine, ephedrine cocaine
• Synthetics Amphetamines family includes
  Speed and MDMA
• Crew includes other psychoactive substances such
  as hallucinogens LSD, Mushrooms cannabis

3
Favourites In Scotland

• Caffeine Nicotine
• Cannabis
• Ecstasy
• Cocaine
• Speed, LSD
• Mushrooms and legal highs

4
How Many People Using

• ?

5
Types Of Users

• Not a homogeneous bunch
• Not pathological or related to deprivation
• Youthful experimenters
• Regular users
• Problematic users
• Opiate/stimulant co users

6
What Trends We Are Seeing

• Some recreational Crack use
• Shift away from traditional dance scene
• Drug repertoire (may come back to this)
• Ubiquitous cocaine
• Alcohol taken with most drugs
• Rise in use of legal highs
• More people coming forward for services

7
What Trends We Are Seeing

• Crack and base cocaine use
• Amphetamine use up and down
• Poly and co-drug use
• Hash use overtakes nicotine use
• Rise in number who buy from friends

8
Most Common Problems Associated With Use

• Physical health
• Mental health
• Emotional disorders
• Social dislocation

9
What needs to be happening now

• Research
• Targeted service provision
• Training for service personnel
• Psychostimulant Action Group for Scotland