TRANSITIONS BETWEEN ROUTES OF ADMINISTRATION OF REGULAR AMPHETAMINE USERS

A sample of 301 regular amphetamine users was interviewed regarding tr ansitions between routes of administration of amphetamines. Use of amp hetamines by injecting was widespread, with two-thirds (67%) of subjec ts having injected the drug during the preceding 6 months. Needle-shar ing was common, with 41% of injectors having shared a needle in the mo nth preceding interview. A transition to regular amphetamine injecting from other routes of administration was reported by 40% of subjects, with males being twice as likely to report such a transition. The medi an number of such transitions was one. The main reasons given by subje cts for the transition to injecting were liking the ''rush'' from inje cting, and seeing it as a more economical and a healthier way to use. A small proportion of subjects (9%) reported a transition away from in jecting amphetamines, with a median of one such transition. The most c ommon reason given for abandoning injecting was concern about vascular damage. Interventions to encourage safer use of amphetamines need to address the misconceptions that injecting is more economical and more healthy, and to emphasize the vascular problems associated with inject ing.