NIDA has updated its Research Reports on MDMA/ecstasy
and steroids and published a new report on HIV/AIDS.
The Institute's Research Report series provides educators,
parents, clinicians, and others the latest available information on
drugs and drug-related topics. They are available on NIDA's Web
site, www.drugabuse.gov.
HIV/AIDS
Approximately four of every 10 AIDS deaths in the United States
are related to drug abuse. This somber message is depicted on the
cover of the Report on HIV/AIDS. The Report's contents focus on
the roles that intravenous drug use and drug-influenced high-risk
sex play in spreading the epidemic.
Along with the latest data on AIDS cases and deaths, the Report
describes changes in the epidemic over the past 25 years; the disparate
impact of the disease on different subpopulations; effective
approaches for prevention; and NIDA's ongoing support of
research to develop strategies to prevent and treat the disease.
MDMA/ECSTASY
This Report brings welcome news from recent surveys, which
indicate that abuse of this club drug may be on the decline. The
2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates that the
number of current adolescent and adult methylenedioxymethamphetamine
(MDMA/ecstasy) abusers in the United States declined
from 676,000 in 2002 to 450,000 in 2004. Similarly, the 2005 Monitoring
the Future (MTF) survey found that past-year abuse fell 59
percent among middle and high school students between 2001 and
2005.
Nevertheless, more than 11 million reported trying the stimulant-hallucinogen at least once in their lives. The report describes
the characteristics and history of ecstasy, the scope of its abuse in
the United States, and its harmful effects.
STEROIDS
This updated Report provides new data on anabolic androgenic
steroid abuse among teenagers. Based on the 2005 MTF Survey,
steroid abuse by teens in 8th and 10th grade has declined since
2000. The trend among 12th graders was different: abuse increased
from 2000 to 2004, and then dropped in 2005 from 2.5 percent to
1.5 percent.
NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow points out that steroids differ
from other drugs of abuse in that their appeal lies in their ability
to change one's appearance and performance. As such, they may
be a more insidious source of danger. "The effects of steroids can
boost confidence and strength, leading the abuser to overlook the
potential serious and long-term damage that these substances can
cause," she notes.
The Report describes what steroids are, how they are abused,
and the harmful side effects that can result. It also lists sources of
additional information and resources.
www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/hiv/hiv.html
www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/MDMA/default.html
www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/Steroids/AnabolicSteroids.html
Volume 21, Number 3 (April 2007)
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