However, they are initiated into drug taking behaviour at an earlier age. Reports indicate that there is an increasing preference amongst drug users for injecting specially in Northeast India and metropolitan cities. A trend noted during the 1990s in the north-east has been a switch from injecting heroin to synthetic opioid, such as Spasmoproxyvon and Proxyvon, which are cheaper and available from pharmaceutical retailers. The drug abuse situation in some of the north-east states of India is alarming. Injecting drug use is widespread within the three states.
Indicators suggest increasing serious consequences of drug abuse in the region.
Routine screening of IDUs for HIV antibody between 1986 and 1989 did not reveal infections. Subsequent sero-surveillance revealed that between 1991 and 1993, the prevalence of HIV in selected samples of IDUs varied between 64 to 73 percent. Efforts made during the last three years indicate marginal decline in injecting drug use and in sero-positivity among IDUs. The social consequences of drug abuse particularly affect women, who face the double burden of caring for the addict, who may be abusive, and providing for the family. In the Northeast of India, in particular, there are increasing numbers of young widows of addicts, many of whom are HIV positive as a result of sexual transmission and have passed it on to their children.