Reawakening the dragon: Changing patterns of opiate use in Asia, with particular emphasis on China's Yunnan Province

Asian countries adjacent to the Golden Triangle and their neighbors have wi tnessed an evolution in "drug abuse" from traditional opium smoking to hero in eating, smoking, and finally heroin injection. A recent study of 630 her oin users was conducted in China's Yunnan Province, Iocated close to the Go lden Triangle. Data collected between August 1997 and February 1998 indicat e injecting heroin users, in comparison to noninjectors, were more likely t o have used drugs for a longer period of time, and to use drugs more freque ntly everyday. Other major differences existed between urban and rural subj ects, especially highlighting differences between men and women. Women comp rised a much higher proportion of urban subjects than rural subjects. Rural injectors were much more likely to be male, but urban injectors were almos t evenly split between men and women. The emerging epidemic of heroin use i n China and the continuing substance abuse problem in the United States pro vide an opportunity for collaborative research of mutual benefit.