A comparison of injecting and noninjecting methamphetamine users

The injection of illicit drugs exposes the user to a variety of risks that are not associated with other routes of administration. Information regardi ng differences between injecting and noninjecting methamphetamine (MA) user s is provided. The population studied included MA dependent men and women ( n = 427) from the Matrix Institute on Addictions in San Bernardino County, California. The sample was divided into two groups according to their injec ting status; 55 individuals (13%) reported injecting, and 372 (87%) reporte d no history of injecting MA. Differences were found in specific use patter ns and in medical, criminal, and psychological histories between the two gr oups.