This session provides participants with practical HIV prevention strategies for people who use drugs . Start this session by providing an overview of the issue – if possible , find out how many people use drugs in your country and how many of these are young people . While it is true that many countries do not have disaggregated data , we believe it is worth trying to provide information on your local context . Explain to the group that they will tackle two main subjects : a ) drug-related harm reduction practices and b ) strategies for effective HIV prevention for people who inject drugs . Remember to allow participants to ask questions and be sure to use diagrams / illustrations when necessary .
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ( UNODC ) World Report 2010 , there are 18 to 38 million people who are ‘ problematic drug users ’ between the ages of 15 and 64 . Between 172 and 250 million people in this age range used drugs at least once in the last year . The report describes evidence of increased drug use in developing countries , and growing use of amphetamine-type stimulants ( ATS ) and prescription drugs around the world .
In certain parts of the world , such as Eastern Europe and South East Asia , the sharing of injection equipment among people who inject drugs is one of the fastest growing routes of HIV transmission . Young people who inject drugs face increased stigma and discrimination and are often denied essential life-saving HIV prevention and treatment services . Barriers to access for young people who inject drugs include , but are not limited to : lack of youth-friendly harm reduction services , limited disaggregated data on young people and drug use , age restrictions and issues of confidentiality with existing drug services .