Outline of the World Health Organization's programme on epidemiological studies of non-medical drug use and drug dependence.

The establishment of prevalence and incidence rates relative to drug use can help authorities to plan the development of health and welfare services for the drug users. An analysis of epidemiological data permits a discussion concerning action to be taken to prevent non-medical use of drugs. Research in this area is very complex; results must be interpreted with extreme caution; statistically significant data might not necessarily create a safe basis for decision-taking; nevertheless, epidemiological research provides important information about trends and changes in the use of patterns and the magnitude of drug use related problems, and helps to clarify etiology of drug use. Such studies are also critical for the evaluation of effectiveness of prevention and treatment programmes. Epidemiological research requires a multidisciplinary approach and careful planning over years; comparability of such studies is of utmost importance. The World Health Organization within the framework of its expanded drug dependence programme has developed WHO guidelines for reporting available information on the non-medical use of dependence-producing drugs. WHO has begun field testing these guidelines and is undertaking the creation of a number of drug dependence research and training centres to foster epidemiological and other research, and to help to develop badly wanted manpower.