title: Jurisdictional differences in opioid use, other licit and illicit drug use, and harms associated with substance use among people who tamper with pharmaceutical opioids.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The harms associated with non-medical use of pharmaceutical opioid analgesics are well established; however, less is known about the characteristics and drug-use patterns of the growing and hidden populations of people using pharmaceutical opioids illicitly, including the frequency of pharmaceutical opioid injection. This paper aimed to undertake a detailed examination of jurisdictional differences in patterns of opioid use among a cohort of people who regularly tamper with pharmaceutical opioids in Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were drawn from the National Opioid Medications Abuse Deterrence study. The cohort was recruited from New South Wales (NSW; n = 303), South Australia (SA; n = 150) and Tasmania (TAS; n = 153) to participate in face-to-face structured interviews collecting data on use of pharmaceutical opioids, benzodiazepines, other sedative drugs and illicit substances, as well as the harms associated with substance use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TAS participants reported greater use and injection of certain pharmaceutical opioids (particularly morphine and methadone tablets), and limited heroin use, with lower rates of engagement in opioid substitution treatment, compared with NSW participants. NSW participants were more socially disadvantaged and more likely to report risky injecting behaviours and injecting-related injuries and diseases compared with SA and TAS participants. SA participants reported greater rates of pain conditions, greater use of pain-based services, as well as broader use of pharmaceutical opioids in regards to forms and route of administration, compared with NSW participants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Distinct jurisdictional profiles were evident for people who tamper with pharmaceutical opioids, potentially reflecting jurisdictional differences in prescribing regulatory mechanisms and addiction treatment models.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peacock
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
authors.forename: Raimondo
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6673-833X
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.affiliation: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cama
authors.affiliation: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kihas
authors.affiliation: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Briony
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Larance
authors.affiliation: Sydney Medical School, Sydney University, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lintzeris
authors.affiliation: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hordern
authors.affiliation: University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2301-8778
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Louisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Degenhardt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D009021:Morphine Dependence / Q000453:epidemiology; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010098:Oxycodone; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D063487:Prescription Drug Misuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology; D013648:Tasmania / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D010098:Oxycodone
keywords: heroin; injecting drug use; non-adherence; pharmaceutical opioid; prescription drug misuse