Download Overview of gender-related data on drug use in the EU

Women and drugs
Abstract
Session I
Linda Montanari
Overview of gender-related data on drug use and drug related
problems in the EU
Reitox Week, Extended Reitox network meeting, Tuesday 24 November 2015 – Session I
Available data at European level indicate that women generally use drugs less than men do, with
sometimes large variations by type of drug, country and age of users. According to last available
data form the general population survey around 1 woman for every two men has tried cannabis at
least once her life. This ratio varies greatly by country.
The proportion of women decreases with the increase in the frequency and intensity of drug use:
according to the most recent available data among young adults who have used cannabis in the last
month the number of women for every man decreases to 1 woman for every 4 men. This gender
ratio (4:1) is similar to the ratio reported among people entering drug treatment and among drug
related deaths. But the gender gap is reported to be smaller among young generations.
Women drug users tend to start their drug use earlier and develop drug related problems more
rapidly than men. Sometime their drug related problems develop in the context of an intimate
relation with a drug user.
Based on treatment demand data, drug use patterns are different between women and men.
Females’ drug users tend to prefer hypnotics/sedatives, amphetamines/methamphetamines, and
some new psychoactive substances (GHB, ketamine, synthetic cathinones) rather than opioids, and
even more than cocaine or cannabis.
HCV prevalence among males and females injecting drug users is similar between the two sexes
even though the overall drug use problems is more prevalent among men than women.
Due to lower prevalence and more hidden use, less is understood about how problem drug use
develops among women and so they may have more difficulty in gaining access to effective
treatment programs, most of which were originally designed for men. However the issue is
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Women and drugs
controversial as in some countries women treatment access seems to be similar or even better than
among males. But data limitations should be considered.
Women drug users are often exposed to a social vulnerability, as main responsible for children care,
involved in drug trafficking as drug couriers and exposed to violence, often through sex work.
Of particular concern are specific groups of women drug users, including women from ethnic
minorities groups, some of them being involved in drug trafficking (drug mules) and women in
prison, which represents a highly vulnerable group as concentrate multiple vulnerable factors.
Developing appropriate responses for women represent an obligation for the European governments
and treatment services, who should respond adequately and effectively to women’s specific needs
Despite the relevance of the issue and the relevant gender differences in drug related issues,
information and data on women and drug use are limited and scarcely comparable across countries.
This limits the possibility to plan adequate services for women drug users. Institutions, like the
EMCDDA, in charge of drug monitoring at European level should put raise the attention on this issue
and regularly include the gender component in data collection, analysis and semination.
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