Ecstasy Users In São Paulo, Brazil : First Profile
(Almeida, Stella Pereira de)
The present study was aimed at identifying patterns of ecstasy (MDMA)use in the city of São Paulo. Ecstasy users were recruited through thesnowball technique. Using the same technique, a control group ofsubjects that had never tried the drug (non users) was recruited amongindividuals sharing with users a similar life style. Users (N=52) andnon users (N=52) were interviewed in order to obtain socio-demographicdata and data on use of psychoactive drugs; users were also questionnedas to the circumstances surrounding their use of the drug. Besides,levels of anxiety, depression and impulsiveness were assessed throughSpielberger's IDATE Trace Inventory, Beck's Depression Inventory andBarratt Impulsiveness Scale. Both users and non users revealed similarsocio-demographic characteristics: most subjects were middle classyoung heterosexual single men and women who had a college degree.Multiple drug use was more frequent among users than among non users.Other features that were significantly more accentuated among usersthan among non users were the presence of tattoos and piercings, thefrequency to raves and the preference for electronic music. BeckInventory results pointed to significantly lower depression scoresamong users. No differences were observed between groups in anxiety andimpulsiveness scores. Ecstasy consumption patterns among users aresimilar to those reported in Europe and Australia: most subjects takeone or two pills per episode, during weekends or vacations, usuallywith company and in social gatherings such as dancings, raves andparties. The drug is predominantly acquired from friends oracquaintances in these same spots. Most users reported consumingecstasy in combination with other psychoactive drugs, particularlymarihuana. The socio-demographic features of users as well as the waythey buy and consume the drug suggest that the present pattern of useis not connected to illegal or marginal activities. Harm reductionstrategies are suggested in case of ecstasy's use increases and spreadsamong the young population of the city.
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