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PROBLEM DRUG USE4.‘Problem drug use' is defined by the EMCDDA as ‘injecting drug use or long duration /regular use of opioids, cocaine and/or amphetamines’ among people in the 15-64 age groupin one year. This definition was used in estimating the prevalence of problem drug use inSlovenia. Estimates of the prevalence of problem drug use in Slovenia were made using thecapture – recapture method on two occasions: the first time for years 2000 and 2001, andthe second time for 2004.This report presents a study on drug users seeking help in harm reduction programmes whoare classified as problem drug users according to the above definition. The results of thestudy, which were obtained using information from anonymous questionnaires completed by204 harm reduction programme users, show that there was a significant increase in the useof drugs other than heroin in 2011 compared to the previous year. This is probably due to thedecreased availability of heroin and its poor quality in 2011. 62% of harm reductionprogramme users stated that they used cannabis, 61% used heroin, 60% cocaine, 30%synthetic drugs and 69% alcohol. Most of these programme users were in substitutiontreatment, and more than half of them also used other medications, namely hypnotics andbenzodiazepines.65Harm reduction programme users mostly injected heroin and cocaine. In comparison with2010, intravenous use of heroin decreased in 2011, while intravenous use of cocaine, heroinand cocaine combinations, and medications increased. The most common risk behavioursamong harm reduction programme users were: drug injection, simultaneous use of multipledrugs (i.e. polydrug use), unprotected sex, and sharing of joints. Two thirds of users whoinjected drugs always used sterile materials. Most of them got injection materials from harmreduction programme workers.4.1 Prevalence and incidence estimates of problem drug use in SloveniaEstimates of the prevalence of problem drug use in Slovenia were made on two occasions,the first time for 2000 and 2001, and the second time for 2004. The capture – recapturemethod was used on both occasions, and the data collected was obtained from two sources,namely data on the demand for treatment in the network of centres for the prevention andtreatment of drug addiction, and data on drug-related criminal offences obtained from thepolice. The number of problem drug users in the age group of 15–64 years was estimated at