Does AIDS Fear Disuade Intravenous Drug Abuse?

British Journal of Addiction (1987) 82, 101-102

Letters to the Editor

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Does AIDS Fear Disuade Intravenous Drug Abuse? From S. K. Chaturvedi (National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences, Bangalore) SIR—The editorial by Professor Michael Adler entitled 'Aids and Intravenous drug Abuse'' has drawn attention towards a significant issue. The relationship between intravenous drug abuse and the high risk of AIDS is intricate. The 'risk' is assuming greater proportions with the rapid increase in the number of intravenous drug abusers as well as the number of cases infected with HTLV-III virus or those suffering from AIDS. Michael Adler has suggested that it would be desirable to disuade people from ever starting the habit of intravenous drug abuse, failing which counselling and possibly screening of existing addicts could prove to be beneficial. It is important to know whether fear of AIDS may cause addicts to give up injecting. In an attempt to examine this issue a group of intravenous heroin abusers were questioned to ascertain their knowledge and perception about AIDS and how it affected their pattern of drug abuse. They indicated that the fear or risk of AIDS had only minimally affected their drug habits. The amount and frequency of abuse continued in the predictable way. The abusers were not much concerned about the risk of infection, which was apparent since none of them asked to be screened for AIDS infection. They had on their own gathered information regarding AIDS from lay as well as scientific literature. Their extent of knowledge about AIDS, its symptoms.

outcome and treatment was adequate and appreciable. Some abusers avoided sharing their needles and syringes, while others resorted to other modes of drug consumption like smoking or 'chasing'. But none stopped abusing drugs for this reason. One subject shocked me by commenting that he "does not mind getting AIDS, and it would be better to get infected with AIDS rather than continue drugs or continue to live". Adler's suggestion of providing disposable syringes should be taken seriously. Whether clinicians do so or not, the drug abusers themselves seek such measures in order to avoid the risk of infection. SANTOSH K. CHATURVEDI, M.D.

Lecturer in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore 560 029, India

ADLER, M . W . (1986) AIDS and Intravenous drug abuse (Editorial), British Journal of Addiction, 81, pp. 307-310.

AIDS and Intravenous Drug Abuse—What about Treatment? From Robert G. Newman (Beth Israel Medical Center, New York) SIR—The editorial by Dr Michael Adler concerning AIDS and intravenous drug abusers' correctly

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