Changing patterns of illicit substance use among schizophrenic patients: 1984-1996

Over 1,700 psychiatric emergency room visits of schizophrenic and schizoaff ective patients between 1984 and 1996 were reviewed and urine drug screens (UDS) were recorded. Illicit drug use in creased significantly over the 12- year period, with a large increase for cocaine (0% to 73% of positive UDS), a decline for amphetamines (60% to 0%) and a small increase for marijuana (0% to 27%). Opiate and sedative use remained unchanged. The results suppor t the impression that cocaine use increased dramatically among urban schizo phrenic patients beginning in 1988 and continuing to the present. Furthermo re, cocaine seems to have replaced amphetamines as the preferred drug of ab use among schizophrenic persons following the crack epidemic.