Psychotropic drug addiction and maintenance treatments: latest trends. About the OPPIDUM survey of October 1997

The aim of this study was to identify the latest trends in psychotropic dru g use and the effect of the increase of maintenance treatments for serious opioid addiction. The results are based on data from OPPIDUM, an annual sur vey primarily concerned with the consumption of licit and illicit drugs. Th e study involved 1066 drug addicts recruited during the month of October 19 97 from 38 French health centres connected with the Centres for Evaluation and Information on Drug Addiction (CETP). The most frequently reported drug s were benzodiazepines (n = 323), some of which, especially flunitrazepam ( Rohypnol(R), n = 123), are extremely addictive. The data showed a slight de crease in heroin consumption as well as a marked increase in the use of mai ntenance treatments. The association between benzodiazepines and buprenorph ine (Subutex(R);) should consequently be studied, whether buprenorphine is being used illicitly or prescribed as a maintenance treatment.