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Housing First (HF) is an evidence-based practice effective in reducing homelessness among those who experience chronic homelessness. However, a strong synthesis evaluating the effectiveness of this intervention is lacking for people who use drugs. The purpose of this study is to explore international literature databases to identify the effectiveness of the HF programme among people who use drugs.

A modified framework from Arksey and O’Malley (2005) was used, namely: identifying the research question; developing inclusion and exclusion criteria; identifying relevant studies for study selection; charting the data; and collating, summarising and reporting the results.

Three main themes were identified: substance use related outcomes, housing-related outcomes and social outcomes. There is strong evidence that HF increases housing retention and reduces homelessness among chronically homeless people who use drugs. However, literature relating to substance use and social outcomes for this population report mixed and inconclusive findings.

This scoping review concludes that additional research is required to conclusively determine whether HF is an effective intervention for homeless substance users. Future researchers must use formal assessments of substance use and ensure clear reporting of the HF intervention is accomplished. It is recommended for researchers and policymakers to consider the specific needs of the people who use drugs before implementation of HF for this population.

Differential effectiveness of HF through diagnostic subgroups such as alcohol use and drug use is varied with alcohol use being found to decrease due to the HF programme, but findings relating to other drug use outcomes are varied. As most previous studies used the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) to measure substance use among participants, however, the ASI, a self-reporting measure has unstable criterion validity and can cause under or over reporting of substance use. Structured toxicology or diagnostic assessments of substance use must be used for research instead to assist researchers in making firm conclusions about the reported rates.

The slightly poorer housing outcomes among people who use substances indicate that this group may need more intensive approaches to finding and maintaining housing. Additional services for the group that address comorbid problems and consequences relating to substance use are required. It is suggested that housing should be provided within an integrated model that offers additional support services such as case management as when well matched to clients, case management appears to be an effective intervention among homeless sub-populations, as it reduces substance use, improves quality of life and health outcomes, improves social connectedness and increases housing tenure and satisfaction.

This scoping review concludes that additional research is required to conclusively determine whether HF is an effective intervention for homeless substance users. Future researchers must use formal assessments of substance use and ensure clear reporting of the HF intervention is accomplished. It is recommended for researchers and policymakers to consider the specific needs of the people who use drugs before HF implementation for this population.

Psychedelic drugs can induce altered states of consciousness characterised by changes in visual perception, tactile sensation, cognition, and emotion. Although there is a history of misinformation surrounding these drugs, recent investigation has reinvigorated interest. However, little research has assessed the attitudes of psychedelic consumers regarding these substances. The current study aims to explore the attitudes and perceptions of people with experience with psychedelic drugs, specifically surrounding psychedelic drugs themselves and their use within Aotearoa New Zealand.

Nineteen individuals with experience of psychedelic use were recruited to participate across eight groups in semi-structured, exploratory interviews, where a range of topics associated with psychedelics were discussed. Reflexive thematic analysis of the data focussed on participants’ current perceptions and attitudes.

Four themes were produced: (1) a negative historical influence on current perceptions of psychedelics; (2) knowledge is key but not everyone has it; (3) prohibition is not working, policy needs to change; (4) psychedelics have therapeutic potential. These themes emphasise key features of people with experience of psychedelic drugs’ current views and highlight potential areas for future investigation and intervention.

Findings indicate a need for greater public knowledge and awareness of psychedelics in Aotearoa society. Findings also inform information, education and policy, which in turn will reduce the stigma and associated harm that those who have used or use psychedelic drugs may experience.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, qualitative research aiming to understand attitudes and perspectives surrounding psychedelic drugs and their use from a drug users’ perspective have not yet been assessed.

Drug use in prisons remains a public health concern because it is often the place of drug initiation. The purpose of this study was to analyze the drug use in prison in Burkina Faso.

We conducted cross-sectional study in the prison of Ouagadougou. The adult prisoners (male and female) incarcerated for more than one month at the largest prison of Burkina Faso were included in the study. Participants were selected using a systematic random sampling. Data were collected from October 28 to November 26, 2018. The face-to-face interviews were conducted in the prison grounds. Logistic multivariate regression was used to identify factors associated with in prison drug use. All analysis was done using Stata.

A total of 379 prisoners were included in this study. Approximately one-third inmates (32.71%; n = 124) experienced illicit drug in lifetime. Nearly one-third (28.76%; n = 109) of the prisoners were drug users before incarceration and 11.87% (n = 45) used drug inside the prison, of which 33.33% (n = 15) initiated drug use in the prison. Cannabis was the first drug used by the prisoners (71.11%) followed by tramadol (62.22%), diazepam (13.33%) and cocaine (2.22%). Four prisoners (3.63%) had reported Heroin use before incarceration. Cannabis was mainly smoked. Tramadol, diazepam and amphetamines were swallowed or mixed with food. Cocaine is smoked and snorted. Case of injection of cocaine and heroin was reported before incarceration. Main factors independently associated with drug use in prison is drug use before prison and young age of inmates. Indeed, inmates who had reported drug use before prison had 4.01 time {adjusted odd ratio (AOR: 4.01 [95% CI: 1.91–8.41])} higher odds to use drug in prison.

To conduct the interviews in the prison grounds could be a limitation due to social desirability bias. Indeed, the prisoners may understate drug use in prison for the fear of likely additional sentence. Availability of biological tests for drug markers might help addressed this bias. Nevertheless, the findings of this study should help to plan effective drug use prevention and care programs for prisoners.

The actions must include the implementation of a medical and psychological care in continuum of healthcare system in Burkina Faso. This system should include screening at entry and adequate health and psychological care in prison for drug users for an effective control of drugs use in prison.

Most of these drug users in prison have a low level of education and are unemployed. Education activities and training on occupational activities to prepare drug users for a successful social reintegration less dependent on drugs is essential. This study can be a basis to explore more possibilities and find out what is available to help those with substance use disorder, manage these cases in prison and prevent relapse on release.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first study on drug use in prison in Burkina Faso. It indicates that the repressive strategy against drug use seems ineffective because former users continue their consumption inside and also new users are initiated to use drugs in prison.

Illicit drug use is a well-known global problem that has been noticed to be increased significantly among medical students. This study aims to assess the prevalence and consequences of illicit drug use among medical students in the country of Jordan using the validated Drug Abuse Screening Test-10 (DAST-10).

The authors used a cross-sectional, descriptive design to conduct this study. A total of 2,104 participants from six medical schools were included. A structured online-based English self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection.

Out of 2,104 included participants, 242 (11.5%) reported using illicit drugs in the past year. More than three-quarters (77%) of the drug users suffer from various degrees of problems related to drug use, ranging from risky (41%) to severe risk (6%). Drug use was found to be associated with gender, planned specialty and exposure to psychiatry training.

The cross-sectional design prevents from drawing cause-and-effect relationships and confirming how the tendency toward substance use is affected by the psychological state, sleep quality and exposure to psychiatry. Also, although it is important to measure the subjective observation of distress and sleep, objective estimates of psychological distress and sleep including actigraphy and sleep diary could be helpful to strengthen the findings. Also using an online survey with convenience sampling are some inevitable limitations with the present COVID-19 restrictions. Also, the nature of DAST-10 closed-ended questions precluded from accurately exploring the consequences of substance abuse.

Appropriate screening to identify medical students at risk for substance abuse and provide them with treatment referrals are strongly recommended in this study. In addition, medical schools should provide a comfortable environment that encourages a healthy lifestyle with a responsible attitude toward using drugs.

There is a dearth of information about illicit drug use among medical students, especially in the country of Jordan. The nature of their studies, the different stresses they experience and the impact imposed by other factors such as sociocultural all are likely to make medical students more susceptible to drug abuse. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first cross-national study of its kind in Jordan with a representative sample of 2,104 participants. We assessed the prevalence and consequences of self-reported illicit drug use and the sleep quality of medical students from all schools of medicine in Jordan.

Cannabis as a recreational drug is prohibited in Nigeria. Consequently, the open use of cannabis attracts both formal and informal sanctions. As such, there is much stigma on users' faces across social spaces. This has led to innovations in drug use. Recently, non-medical use of tramadol has been rising across each of the gender categories. This study aims to understand (1) tramadol use prompts, (2) the sudden surge in gendered recreational use of tramadol and (3) the gendered challenges of recreational tramadol use among Nigerian university students.

Data were collected between December 2021 and October 2022. The researcher conducted 20 semi-structured interviews, with participants chosen purposefully from acquaintances and others selected through chain referral. The selection criteria included knowledge of a particular tramadol tablet and willingness to participate. This study got ethical approval from the Anambra State Ministry of Health (Ref: MH/AWK/M/321/354) and oral consent was obtained before the interviews. The participants were assured of confidentiality. The interviews were conducted in English (the formal Nigerian language) and lasted between 30 and 65 min. The data collected were transcribed and coded manually, and themes generated.

Findings suggest that peer pressures accounted for entry-level drug use. However, cannabis-related stigma is attributed to the surge in tramadol use across gender categories. Furthermore, academic pressure and sexuality are major reasons for tramadol use. The challenges associated with tramadol use include headaches and addiction.

This study, to the best of the author’s knowledge, presents alternative data on the surge in tramadol use among Nigerian university students.

This preliminary small-scale research aims to achieve an insight into drug use offenders’ rehabilitation experiences both in and out of prison, as well as considering how perceptions of the public may inhibit their successful reintegration into society.

A mixed-methods approach was used, with five semi-structured interviews conducted alongside the distribution of the Attitude towards prisoners questionnaire among the general public (n = 106) in the North-West region of England.

Participants recalled a mixture of experiences, highlighting the presence of contraband in prisons to be an inhibiting factor of successful rehabilitation. Additionally, participants expressed the need for more support when preparing for release such as confirmation of accommodation and possible employment. Questionnaires also indicated the public to perceive offenders negatively (M = 76, SD = 16.99), thus presenting a further challenge in the resettlement of drug use offenders.

Findings highlight that improving practices to decrease the presence of contraband in prisons, monitoring an individual’s use of methadone, preparing an individual for their release from prison and educating the public would reduce some of the obstacles experienced by drug use offenders.

This study outlines some of the obstacles that drug use offenders experience when attempting to end their drug use activity and criminal engagement.

The purpose of this study is to understand the complex interplay between illicit opioids trade and consumption practices and state policies that aim to reduce their misuse.

The study adopted an exploratory design. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews with 31 commercially oriented drug dealers in Uyo, Nigeria. The framework approach was used in data analyses, while “friction” provided the interpretive lens.

Accounts revealed public concerns over the misuse of tramadol and other opioids among young people and the associated health and social harms. These concerns provided support for enforcement-based approaches to prescription opioids control, including police raids on pharmacy stores. These measures did not curtail opioids supply and consumption. Instead, they constrained access to essential medicines for pain management, encouraged illegal markets and fuelled law enforcement corruption in the form of police complicity in illegal tramadol trade.

The findings reveal the frictions of drug control in Nigeria, wherein enforcement-based approaches gained traction through public concerns about opioids misuse but also faced resistance due to the persistence of non-medical use and illegal supply channels made possible by law enforcement complicity. These indicate a need to prioritize approaches that seek to reduce illegal supply and misuse of opioids while ensuring availability of these medications for health-care needs.

The study is unique in its focus on the creative tension that exists between state control measures and local opioids supply and consumption practices.

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as three-dimensional (3D) printing technology, has been used in the health-care industry for over two decades. It is in high demand in the health-care industry due to its strength to manufacture custom-designed and personalized 3D constructs. Recently, AM technologies are being explored to develop personalized drug delivery systems, such as personalized oral dosages, implants and others due to their potential to design and develop systems with complex geometry and programmed controlled release profile. Furthermore, in 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the first AM medication, Spritam® (Apprecia Pharmaceuticals) which has led to tremendous interest in exploring this technology as a bespoke solution for patient-specific drug delivery systems. The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of AM technologies applied to the development of personalized drug delivery systems, including an analysis of the commercial status of AM based drugs and delivery devices.

This review paper provides a detailed understanding of how AM technologies are used to develop personalized drug delivery systems. Different AM technologies and how these technologies can be chosen for a specific drug delivery system are discussed. Different types of materials used to manufacture personalized drug delivery systems are also discussed here. Furthermore, recent preclinical and clinical trials are discussed. The challenges and future perceptions of personalized medicine and the clinical use of these systems are also discussed.

Substantial works are ongoing to develop personalized medicine using AM technologies. Understanding the regulatory requirements is needed to establish this area as a point-of-care solution for patients. Furthermore, scientists, engineers and regulatory agencies need to work closely to successfully translate the research efforts to clinics.

This review paper highlights the recent efforts of AM-based technologies in the field of personalized drug delivery systems with an insight into the possible future direction.

This study aims to evaluate the delivery of a virtual community-based mental health and substance use program for Filipino drug users during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It used a randomized control longitudinal design with data collected prior to the program and every two months for 10 months. The programs focused on building recovery skills, life skills and family modules. Program length ranged from a brief intervention of three sessions to 24 sessions depending on whether clients were low risk, moderate risk or those arrested for drug use.

Results revealed significant improvements in recovery skills of participants in the treatment group compared to those in the control group. Mental health illness symptoms decreased for both control and treatment groups; however, no differences were found in recovery capital and cravings.

The lack of significant changes in certain variables, such as recovery capital, requires more data to understand the barriers to enable greater recovery. The study was limited to virtual delivery of rehabilitation services conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future studies may wish to compare modalities of online and onsite delivery to enable a comparison of effectiveness.

Results suggest the feasibility of virtual delivery of mental health and substance use treatment implemented by trained paraprofessionals. However, it also highlights the necessity to build the capacity of service providers and address connectivity challenges.

Stigma and discrimination prevent people who use drugs from seeking treatment. Virtual delivery of mental health and substance use treatment can provide a platform where people can seek help while maintaining some privacy.

The study provides evidence from under-represented populations – persons who use drugs in the Philippines.

This study uses autoethnography to examine the impact of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 on policing and public health in the UK. Bridging the gap between scholarly discourse and practical law enforcement insights, this paper aims to highlight the cognitive dissonance experienced by frontline officers when using policing methods that conflict with evidence-based practices and personal values. It critiques routine police procedures, highlighting the ineffectiveness of criminal sanctions in reducing drug offences and the resultant damage to community trust and police legitimacy.

Using autoethnography and critical reflection that combines personal narrative and ethnographic observation, this paper presents a practitioner's perspective on the challenges of enforcing low-level drug offences. It integrates the author's experiences as a neighbourhood police officer in Camden Town, London, with theoretical analysis to highlight the practical realities of drug law enforcement at the intersection of law enforcement and public health.

This research reveals contradictions between current drug law enforcement strategies and public health objectives, and the consequences for law enforcement. It highlights the risks of limiting police discretion and preventing their ability to respond appropriately to complex needs. The paper emphasises the need for public health and trauma-informed policing strategies to mitigate the adverse effects on vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.

Improved public health outcomes: prioritising treatment and support over punishment. Adoption of trauma-informed practices: reducing marginalisation, stigma and improved experiences of police interaction. Improved trust and legitimacy: when the public perceive policing as fair and aligned with community values, it strengthens procedural justice and police legitimacy. Enhanced officer well-being: an improved working environment and experience, through more meaningful, impactful work and improved interactions and relationships with the public. Policy change: policymakers should recognise the discretionary role of police when developing drug policy and acknowledge the risks associated with enforcement approaches that conflict with community needs and broader policing objectives.

Offering a novel critique of prohibitionist drug policies within the British context, this paper advocates for a cultural shift towards public health and trauma-informed approaches in UK policing. It emphasises the importance of recognising police officers' discretionary role as “citizen-agents” and the integration law enforcement approaches with harm reduction initiatives for enhanced procedural justice and police legitimacy.