title: Significance of tattooes in narcotic abusers.
abstract: Social aspects of tattooed compared to non-tattooed narcotic addicts attending a methadone maintenance programme were investigated. It was found that those who were tattooed reported greater current social instability and a more deprived background compared to those without tattooes. None of the tattooes specifically identified the subjects as belonging to the drug scene nor could the age at which the subject was first tattooed be used to predict subsequent drug abuse. The presence of tattooes was unrelated to the current dose of methadone and to the duration of attendance on the methadone programme.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004522:Educational Status; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013653:Tattooing