Frances, Pierre
What psychoactive substances are consumed by the homeless?
- 2025.
55
A study was carried out in two CHRSs (accommodation and social reintegration centers) in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in the year 2019 among a homeless population affected by addictions. The use of psychoactive substances other than alcohol and tobacco was prevalent among 18.7% of the patients consulted. Among these users, 81% were men, and consultations were motivated by social reasons in 20 to 25% of cases. The users of psychoactive substances were younger among women, with the 18–34 age group representing 58% of cases, while for men the 25–44 age group accounted for 60% of cases. Mostly housed in emergency accommodation, these patients had social security coverage in more than 50% of cases. Regarding addictions, a larger proportion of women were addicted to smoking (92%) and alcohol (45.7%), and 54.8% had other addictions, including cannabis (48.5%). By contrast, a lower percentage of men were addicted to smoking (85.5%) and alcohol (32.2%), and 13% had other addictions, including cannabis (10.7%).