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Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...

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FIGURE 7. Number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> inhalant users by age (N = 305).<br />

SOURCE: Pecs Drug Outpatient Clinic, Hungary (unpublished<br />

data, 1992).<br />

SUMMARY<br />

While drug abuse in general has been a phenomen<strong>on</strong> experienced in<br />

Hungary since the late 1960s <strong>on</strong>ly sporadic studies were c<strong>on</strong>ducted at<br />

that time because the general attitude and policies <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the previous regime<br />

ignored social problems in general. It took more than 20 years to change<br />

this attitude and to focus <strong>on</strong> social problems such as alcoholism, suicide,<br />

drug abuse, and delinquency. This delay in emphasis was due to lack <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

research expertise <strong>on</strong> these issues and the fact that Hungary was unable to<br />

join the internati<strong>on</strong>al research community in the drug field for a l<strong>on</strong>g<br />

time. The pattern <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> drug abuse changed during this period <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> time from<br />

an endemic level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> inhalant abuse to a dramatic increase in the total<br />

number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> abusers. In 1989, political changes occurred; Hungary<br />

proclaimed its new c<strong>on</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong>al, republican form <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> government. With<br />

a more liberal foreign policy, opened borders, and growing tourism,<br />

organized drug marketing appeared, and hard core drugs became more<br />

116

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