E/CN.7/594 page 23
Cases of hashish smoking are still being recorded and measures are being taken to trace and destroy the wild crops of cannabis. Among the drug dependent persons those unemployed represented 21.9 per cent (21% in 1974). All other drug dependent persons continue to work in their normal occupations. About 4.2 per cent of the addicts obtained narcotics with forged prescriptions; 2.8 per cent (4% in 1974) obtained them by means of a doctor's prescription; 26 per cent of the registered addicts became dependent for the first time during the year; 39 per cent have been dependent from two to five years and the remainder for over five years.
111.
UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND The abuse of drugs is often associated with health and social problems. Psychological and physical dependence, especially dependence on certain psychotropic drugs like barbiturates calls for skilled medical nursing and social care often on in-patient basis. Addicts are admitted to psychiatric units and hospitals for treatment of their addiction. The problem in the United Kingdom is mainly one of multiple drug abuse. Some addicts heavily dependent on drugs have chaotic life styles. Many have no permanent home and their relations are mainly with other drug abusers, their lives revolving around drug misuse. Others are stable in their relationships, have a permanent home and work regularly.
112.
It must be recognized that the term "drug dependence" covers a whole range of problems, ages and life styles and should not necessarily be identified with the traditional image of the addict as a "junkie". An index is kept of cases of addiction to certain narcotic drugs controlled by the 1961 Convention. This procedure does not permit the identification of cannabis users. The number of addicts recorded in 1975 was 1 954 (1 980 in 1974) of which 1 315 to methadone (1 557 in 1974); 87 to heroin (149 in 1974); 54 to morphine (73 in 1974); a few to cocaine (as for 1974) and the remainder to other drugs alone or to a combination of drugs. The most common combinations of drugs taken by the addicts are methadone with heroin (207 in 1975) and heroin with cocaine. Abuse of methadone alone or in combination with heroin is more commonly encountered among people between 22 and 28 years old. Heroin addicts are mainly found in the 24-28 age group. Morphine, pethidine and dextramoramide are abused by persons over 49. Although no precise figures can be given, heroin is predominantly injected, other drugs may be taken orally or by injection.
113. Other features which present particular problems either to the enforcement authorities or to the treatment and rehabilitation agencies concern cannabis and multiple drug abuse involving psychotropic substances, including barbiturates. Estimates of the number of abusers of these drugs are not available. The annual average of persons treated for abuse of narcotic drugs (based on a 2-monthly return of patients) was 1 547 out-patients and 66 in-patients at any time in 1975. There were 926 first notifications of narcotic addicts, of these 527 were for heroin, 157 for methadone and 242 for other drugs. No figures are available for amphetamines, barbiturates and cannabis. Multiple drug abuse is a common problem amongst all types of addicts. Alcohol is increasingly being taken with drugs. More than 12 300 persons having committed drug offences were dealt with, of whom 9 857 for cannabis; 1 664 for amphetamines; 907 for LSD; 647 for morphine; 451 for heroin.