WHO Technical brief on ATS No.2 - Harm reduction and brief interventions for ATS users

These Technical Briefs on Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) were produced by the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific as a joint activity of the HIV/AIDS and STI and Mental Health and Injury Prevention Units. These were prepared in response to a demand by Member States and civil society for a tool to guide the response to the worldwide availability and use of ATS. The growing use of ATS is associated with the spread of HIV and hepatitis in diverse segments of the population, largely due to an increase in risk-taking behaviour and unsafe sex practices among users. The rising trend in injecting use of ATS is a further cause for concern. These briefs are a compilation of the most recent evidence on ATS use.

This brief outlines public health interventions directed at those who use amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS). Research indicates that the majority of ATS users are casual/experimental users who do not require intensive treatment interventions. Instead, they require information and counselling to enable them to appreciate the potential risks from ATS use and take measures to mitigate these harms.

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