Country profiles
Patterns of drug use in the general population
Characteristics of amphetamine use connected to electronic music events
Infectious diseases among intravenous amphetamine users (Report, 2008)
Patterns of drug use in the general population
Today's adult population (18-64 years of age) had typically come into contact with drugs at around the age of 20, more precisely at the age of 20-25 on average. More than half (53.2%) of those who have ever tried drugs had done it at an even earlier age and every fifth or sixth user (18.4%) had already tried drugs by the age of 16.
The younger age groups (18-34 years of age) in the contemporary adult population, on the other hand, tend to begin experimenting with illegal drugs at the age of 14-15 with the first years representing an intense period in this experience. This is especially true for members of the youngest segment of this group, young people between 18 and 24, 3-5% of whom had already had their first use between 15-20. Among members of this segment of the population the risk of coming to contact with, and being affected by, drugs in their twenties declines to approximately 1% per year. On the other hand, relevant data about people between 25-34 indicate that although the risk of coming into contact with illegal drugs does not disappear entirely, it minimizes after the age of 25 and increases by 1% on average every three years. In the life of those who are over 35, the risk of trying illegal drugs has all along been very small.
In sum, taking into consideration the age and urbanization patterns of drug use, we may conclude that 90.2% of recurrent drug users are young adults (18-34 years of age) and more than two thirds of them (68.2%) are young adults living in large cities.
Similarly to research results of the previous years, drug use today continues to show a significant relationship with indicators of social integration, such as family or workplace integration. Among those who are single, the proportion of drug users is significantly higher. The world of work is less able to provide social integration. Only a smaller number of regular drug users join the world of work, they tend to spend less time at their workplace and are less satisfied with their work or their social relations, including those with their co-workers.
Characteristics of amphetamine use connected to electronic music events
In the autumn/winter of 2003, a survey was carried out in the Budapest party scene (Demetrovics, Nádas and Kun, 2008). Data gathering was conducted altogether at 33 parties in Budapest (and its agglomeration) between September and December 2003. As many as 1059 questionnaires turned out to be valid from those completed this way.
As much as 60% of the respondents were men, their average age was 23. With respect to substance use, nine out of them (89.5%) had already used some kind of illegal substance in their lives. The highest proportion of the respondents (87.2%) tried cannabis but amphetamine and ecstasy were tried in large proportions as well: 51.9% and 58.5%, respectively. Four out of ten respondents (41.3%) tried LSD, while close to three out of ten had tried cocaine or herbal drugs (30.8% and 31.1%, respectively) some time in their lives. Every fifth person (20.9%) indicated that he/she had already used some kind of ketamine and 8.3% of the respondents had used Phencyclidine at least once in their lives, while 5.9% had experimented with GHB at least once during his/her lifecourse.
The results revealed that there may be great differences in the substance use of fans of various styles of music. Goa party goers reported the highest lifetime prevalence with respect to cannabis, cocaine, LSD and herbal drugs alike. Beside goa parties, the propensity to try amphetamine and ecstasy is highest in the techno party audience: close to two thirds of techno party goers have tried amphetamine in the course of their lives, while almost three quarters of them have tried ecstasy. However, the life prevalence value of amphetamine and ecstasy use is also high among those attending house or trance parties as well, while followers of experimental electronic music display the lowest lifetime prevalence values.
By today (2009), the electronic music scene in Budapest, described above, has undergone major transformation. On the one hand, the phenomenon itself has become less common and the number of disco-type events has increased. On the other hand, large party venues emerged attracting several thousand, even ten thousand, young people over the weekend and, while the number of small clubs has greatly increased as well. The scene in between these two venues, where electronic parties had usually taken place, virtually disappeared. It is for this reason that the „Party Service” Programme of Blue Point Drug Counselling Outpatient Centre, which operated as a harm reduction programme by distributing water, biscuits, information leaflets, condoms and providing on on-the-spot counselling at party venues, discontinued its operation.
By today (2009), the electronic music scene in Budapest, described above, has undergone major transformation. On the one hand, the phenomenon itself has become less common and the number of disco-type events has increased. On the other hand, large party venues emerged attracting several thousand, even ten thousand, young people over the weekend and, while the number of small clubs has greatly increased as well. The scene in between these two venues, where electronic parties had usually taken place, virtually disappeared. It is for this reason that the „Party Service” Programme of Blue Point Drug Counselling Outpatient Centre, which operated as a harm reduction programme by distributing water, biscuits, information leaflets, condoms and providing on on-the-spot counselling at party venues, discontinued its operation.
The characteristics of intravenous drug use among clients of the Contact Programme of Blue Point Foundation
The so-called Contact Programme provides low threshold harm reduction services. Its general objective is to reach substance users who are permanent or only temporary residents in the 8th and 9th districts. The programme lays special emphasis on high risk groups who do not trust institutional service provision or who have been excluded from other programmes or services as a result of a lack of information or stricter requirements or rules. Blue Point's programmes operate in the spirit of harm reduction.
Psychoactive substance use among clients of a needle exchange programme (Csák, 2009)
The survey was conducted among clients of the Needle Exchange Programme of Blue Point Drug Counselling Outpatient Centre (Kék Pont Drogkonzultációs Központ és Drogambulancia Alapítvány). The research focused on registered clients of Blue Point's needle exchange programme. The sample included 1202 intravenous drug users, most of whom are residents in the 8th or the neighbouring districts. The tables show proportions by gender and age, the distribution of substance use, the extent to which the needle exchange service is used, as well as the proportion of needles exchanged according to the substance (heroin, amphetamine) used. It may be concluded that younger people and women tend to use amphetamine more. Heroin users are more inclined to use the needle exchange service than amphetamine users (the difference is also significant).
Infectious diseases among intravenous amphetamine users (Report, 2008)
The National Centre for Epidemiology (Országos Epidemiológiai Központ, OEK) carried out the screening of 600 intravenous drug users. The sample included 567 users from all over the country. Out of them 427 (75.3%) were men and 140 (24.7%) were women. More than half (330, 58.2%) of those undergoing the blood test were of the age group 25-34, 22.2% (116) of them were over 34, while those below 25 represented the smallest group (111 persons, 19-6%).
On the whole, there was no significant difference between the infection rates of men and women (p>0,5). However, the prevalence rate was outstandingly high, i. e. double the average value (51.7%), among women over 34. (The difference between the two proportions is significant, p<0,001.)
Amphetamine users were included under the category „other, non-opiate users”. Among them HCV infection rate is somewhat lower than among heroin users. (The difference between the two rates is significant at p<0,05.)
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