Heroin snorters versus injectors: comparison on drug use and treatment outcome in age-matched samples

Drug use histories and treatment outcomes were compared for age, race and g ender-matched samples of intravenous (IV; n = 28) versus intranasal (IN; n = 28) opiate abusers entering a 3-day inpatient detoxification unit. Data w ere derived from the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) interview. Both groups reported daily heroin use prior to detoxification, but IV users reported mo re days of alcohol and multiple drug use during the past 30 days. Despite a ge matching, IV users also started using alcohol at an earlier age and accu mulated more lifetime months of regular alcohol, cocaine and multidrug use. IV users were more likely to enter treatment following the deter, but no s ignificant outcome differences were noted at 1 and 3 months post-detoxifica tion. The results show that intravenous, as compared to intranasal, opiate users have both a more severe pattern and a more extensive history of the u se of non-opiate drugs. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights r eserved.