PATTERN AND BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS OF DRUG-USE IN IMPHAL, THE CAPITAL OF MANIPUR: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Knowing the pattern and the background characteristics associated with drug-use is if not more equally important to estimation of the magnitude for developing local-specific policies against the social evil called drug-use. Data regarding this is hardly available for the state of Manipur, which shares a long international border with Myanmar and subsequently to the Golden Triangle, hence being a high-risk area of illegal drug-trafficking and use. OBJECTIVES To explore the pattern of drug-use and also to study the background characteristics associated with drug-use in Imphal, the capital of Manipur. MATERIAL AND METHODS A cross-sectional study was taken up in Feb-Mar 2015 among 788 adults aged 18-65 years who ever used drugs in the last one year for non-medical purpose in the two districts of Imphal, Manipur. Respondent-Driven Sampling method was used to obtain this sample. Data were collected by using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire which consisted sections on socio-demographic profile, type of drugs used, risk-taking and treatment seeking behaviours. Ethical approval was obtained from IEC, JNIMS. RESULTS Majority of the study subjects (82%) started using drugs by the age range of 15-25 years. The three commonest drugs used were Spasmoproxyvon (40%), Benzodiazepines (36%) and Heroin (24%). More than half of the study subjects (56%) used drugs at least two times in a day. The most common reason cited for starting use of drug in life was just out of curiosity (71%). One-third (37%) of the drug-users were IDUs, out of which 60% shared a common needle for injection. DISCUSSION Starting use of drug early in life, the shifting of the drug used from illegal drugs to legal drugs and sharing of syringes by IDUs are of grave concern. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION Drug use was a problem in Imphal, especially among the younger generations. Various stakeholders at governmental level, non-governmental level and family level need to take up urgent initiatives, so that the social menace of drug-use can be routed out from the society.