NCJ Number
110073
Date Published
1986
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This study has two objectives: the first is to describe the drug consumption behavior of users who contact treatment programs and the second is to assess the utility of data from the Treatment Outcome Prospective Study (TOPS) and current consumption models for estimating drug usage.
Abstract
Three reports have grown out of the study. The first report details the drug consumption patterns of individuals who seek drug abuse treatment. Special scrutiny is given to data on heroin and cocaine use patterns and costs. The second report focuses on differences in drug consumption and costs over time and among cities. The second report analyzes heroin consumption patterns of individuals entering drug abuse treatment programs in nine cities participating in TOPS from 1978 to 1981. The report finds that those who used heroin weekly had steady increases in their drug costs from 1978 to 1981 if they were living in Phoenix; Portland, Oreg; New Orleans; San Francisco; Miami; and Chicago. The report also studies the degree of substitution of other drugs for heroin during the same period and provides data on how addicts used heroin. The third report details models of heroin consumption and suggests the development of new models of consumption behavior based on TOPS data. 10 references.