Referrals to a Scottish drug dependence unit. A descriptive study.

The social and demographic characteristics, drug history and current levels of drug taking, drug-related illnesses, and criminal records of a one year cohort of attenders at the Southern General Hospital are described. The findings are compared with those of previous studies at the same clinic; made when methadone was prescribed for a limited period in reducing dosage and when this policy was being replaced by one of the use opiate-free drugs to cover withdrawal.