Logiques socio-culturelles et bio-culturelles de la consommation de drogues par injection chez les usager-e-s de drogues à Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire).

Abstract

An exploratory study conducted in open scenes of drug use in Abidjan showed an increasingly common trend in the use of heroin by injection. Previous studies carried out in Côte d'Ivoire by Medecins du Monde (2014 and 2017) and PARECO (2018) among drug users indicated drug consumption mainly by inhalation. The general objective of this study is to understand the socio-cultural and biocultural logics underlying the use of drugs by injection among drug users (DUs) in recent years in Abidjan. It also addresses the perceptions that inhaled drug users have of injecting drug users, and vice versa. This is a qualitative study that is part of a socio-anthropological and bio-anthropological multidisciplinary framework. We opted for the "snowball" or network sampling technique. 33 injecting DUs aged 18 to 50 using heroin by injection, cocaine / crack by inhalation and two (2) persons in charge of smoking rooms were interviewed; 35 people in total. The results of the study show that the injection called in Nouchi "tchrôli" is predominantly the main mode of consumption for heroin and the inhaled route for Cocaine / Crack. Reasons for injecting drug use cited by DUs are, feeling stronger, long lasting and rising rapidly. This mode of consumption also makes it possible to minimize their expenses because it is less expensive and consequently to reduce the risk-taking related to theft, deals, scams. In addition, it reduces the risk of transmission of Tuberculosis.