Polydrug use ‘on the rise’

AN INCREASING NUMBER of Barbadian men are experimenting with drug cocktails.

The latest Barbados Drug Information Network reports – 2013 and 2014 – reveal a disturbing trend, particularly among men, of mixing and abusing various drugs.

“There is an increase of polydrug users, which is the combination of more than one substance. Before we would find that persons may test positive for marijuana single use but now we are finding that persons are using marijuana, alcohol and cocaine combinations along with other combinations and this is particularly so among males,” said National Council on Substance Abuse research and information officer Jonathan Yearwood.

The Psychiatric Hospital reported a little more than half of its drug abuse admissions in 2011 were for single drug abusers, 51.8 per cent. Over time this has changed drastically — in 2014 only 24.1 per cent of the drug abuse admissions were for single drug use, compared to 75.9 per cent for polydrug use. (CA)

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