Walking the tightrope: Balancing health and drug use

This article stems from a study on San Francisco drug users and their healt h care experiences. Two hundred thirty-eight study participants were admini stered depth interviews and questionnaires to reveal a variety of health co ncerns and health behaviors. For these analyses. which focused on health pr actices and risky behaviors, the sample was divided into two groups: mariju ana users, and other drug users (including methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin , and crack). The findings indicate that drug users behave similarly to the general population regarding health practices, such as eating regularly, s leeping regularly, taking vitamins, and exercising. One finding of interest was the high-risk sexual behaviors of the young, educated marijuana users. A majority of participants demonstrated strong concerns for their health a nd well-being, and further encouragement on this front is advised. Future r esearch and directions for interventions are recommended.