Amphetamine / methamphetamine abuse in taif region

ABSTRACT

To report the extent of Amphetamine / Methamphetamine abuse in patients with psychiatric symptoms at Mental Health Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia. It was a descriptive study done in Taif during 2005. Urine samples of patients were screened for the presence of amphetamine / methamphetamine, using fluorescent polarization technique. We received 739 samples of urine for screening amphetamine / methamphetamine, during our study, from 1/01/2005 to 31/12/2005. Out of these 151 samples were reported positive which makes 20.44% of the total samples received during our one year study period. The abuse of amphetamine / methamphetamine is an extremely serious and growing problem, globally. About two thirds of the users of Amphetamine are found in Asia. Moreover, the highest proportion of treatment demand for ATS abuse is found in Asia too. Our study reports a high incidence of Amphetamine / Methamphetamine abuse in Taif region. About 21% of the total admissions in Mental Health Hospital, Taif, during our one year study period were related to treatment for Amphetamine / Methamphetamine abuse