The prevalence of drug use in San Francisco in 1987

Abstract

To recapitulate the above findings: Heroin: 1. From burglary analysis: upper limit of 12,700 users in 1986. 2. From CSAS roster: lower limit of 8,363 abusers in three-year period (fiscal years 1985-87). 3. From capture-recapture method: 14,900 users in fiscal year 1987. 4. From methadone decedent analysis: 10,300 abusers in 1986 and the first half of 1987. Speed: 1. From data on gay males: 4,600 regular users in 1987. 2. From CSAS roster: lower limit of 1,214 abusers in fiscal years 1985 through 1987. 3. From capture-recapture method: 5,400 users in fiscal year 1987. IVDUs: 1. From data on Black IVDUs: 19,400 in 1987. 2. From data on Latino IVDUs: 21,100 with lifetime histories in 1987. 3. From CSAS roster: lower limit of 9,350 in fiscal years 1985 through 1987. These estimates can now be assessed, keeping three cautions in mind: (1) different time frames are involved; (2) some estimates are useful only to establish lower or upper bounds; and (3) there is a difference between users (the Coroner reports on decedents who may have used a drug but once) and abusers. The present author's analysis of recent trends in heroin and speed use in San Francisco (Newmeyer 1987) suggests that the number of abusers of each of these drugs was fairly constant between 1985 and 1987. With regard to heroin, the estimate that best meshes with the findings of the present study is that between 10,000 and 12,000 San Franciscans were abusers during 1987. Of these, more than 90 percent used the drug primarily by the IV route.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)