Medical and Sociological Aspects of T's and Blues Abuse in New Orleans

Abstract

The medical and sociological aspects of T's and Blues abuse in New Orleans were studied to determine the effect of abuse on the medical and psychological status of the individuals involved and the sociological effects on the community in general. Sociologically, the most pertinent findings were an increase in the number of (1) deaths related to the use of T's and Blues, (2) arrests and revocation of parole for possession and/or sale of Talwin, and (3) a decrease in the number of arrests for the possession and sale of heroin. In the medical and psychiatric context of this study, three distinct groups of addicts were found of which the T's and Blues users were the largest. Psychiatrically, the most pertinent observation was the high (30-35%) incidence of paranoid, violence prone life-styles seen among T's and Blues users. This finding certainly is in accord with the increased homicide rate and T's and Blues related deaths noted in other aspects of this study.