title: Pentazocine use among people who inject drugs in India.
abstract: Data regarding prevalence of Pentazocine use is sparse and intervention strategies aimed at it are meager. In view of the fact that Pentazocine has significant abuse potential contrary to what was earlier thought, along with the actuality that people who use injectable Pentazocine are at risk of various complications as HIV, this domain needs more attention. This review examines the extent of the problem of Pentazocine use with consequent effects on the overall health of the people. It is based on nationally representative large scale survey(s) and other reliable documented data on Pentazocine abuse. Possible strategies and future lines of actions have been delineated. Data suggests Pentazocine use from 0.1% to 21.8% in different parts of the country. Various reports have also linked it with unique health complications. Its use has been reported mostly among subjects seeking treatment, with recent reports suggesting increasing use at street level. The strategies to document the extent of injection drug use applied in most cases might not be adequate. There is a need for further research and monitoring to document the burden of the problem. Indirect methods to estimate the extent of problem may need to be implemented and regulatory mechanisms for prescription drug use may need to be strengthened.
authors.affiliation: Project Hifazat, National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre and Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India. Electronic address: adityapawar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Aditya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pawar
authors.affiliation: National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre and Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India. Electronic address: aarya1985@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Aarya Krishnan
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Rajalakshmi
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi 110029, India. Electronic address: ravi.p.upadhyay@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ravi Prakash
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Upadhyay
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010423:Pentazocine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D010423:Pentazocine
keywords: India; Injection drug use; Pentazocine; People who inject drugs; Substance use