Hazardous drug use

Description

A pattern of use of psychoactive substance(s) other than nicotine or alcohol that appreciably increases the risk of harmful physical or mental health consequences to the user or to others to an extent that warrants attention and advice from health professionals. The increased risk may be from the frequency of substance use, from the amount used on a given occasion, from risky behaviours associated with substance use or the context of use, from a harmful route of administration, or from a combination of these. The risk may be related to short-term effects of the substance or to longer-term cumulative effects on physical or mental health or functioning. Hazardous drug use has not yet reached the level of having caused harm to physical or mental health of the user or others around the user. The pattern of drug use often persists in spite of awareness of increased risk of harm to the user or to others. [1]

Subcategories

• QE11.0 Hazardous use of opioids

  A pattern of opioid use that appreciably increases the risk of harmful physical or mental health consequences to the user or to others to an extent that warrants attention and advice from health professionals. The increased risk may be from the frequency of opioid use, from the amount used on a given occasion, from risky behaviours associated with opioid use or the context of use, from a harmful route of administration, or from a combination of these. The risk may be related to short-term effects of opioids or to longer-term cumulative effects on physical or mental health or functioning. Hazardous use of opioids has not yet reached the level of having caused harm to physical or mental health of the user or others around the user. The pattern of opioid use often persists in spite of awareness of increased risk of harm to the user or to others. [1]

• QE11.1 Hazardous use of cannabis

  A pattern of cannabis use that appreciably increases the risk of harmful physical or mental health consequences to the user or to others to an extent that warrants attention and advice from health professionals. The increased risk may be from the frequency of cannabis use, from the amount used on a given occasion, from risky behaviours associated with cannabis use or the context of use, from a harmful route of administration, or from a combination of these. The risk may be related to short-term effects of cannabis or to longer-term cumulative effects on physical or mental health or functioning. Hazardous use of cannabis has not yet reached the level of having caused harm to physical or mental health of the user or others around the user. The pattern of cannabis use often persists in spite of awareness of increased risk of harm to the user or to others. [1]

• QE11.2 Hazardous use of sedatives, hypnotics or anxiolytics

  A pattern of use of sedatives, hypnotics or anxiolytics that appreciably increases the risk of harmful physical or mental health consequences to the user or to others to an extent that warrants attention and advice from health professionals. The increased risk may be from the frequency of use of sedatives, hypnotics or anxiolytics, from the amount used on a given occasion, from risky behaviours associated with use of sedatives, hypnotics or anxiolytics or the context of use, from a harmful route of administration, or from a combination of these. The risk may be related to short-term effects of sedatives, hypnotics or anxiolytics or to longer-term cumulative effects on physical or mental health or functioning. Hazardous use of sedatives, hypnotics or anxiolytics has not yet reached the level of having caused harm to physical or mental health of the user or others around the user. The pattern of use of sedatives, hypnotics or anxiolytics often persists in spite of awareness of increased risk of harm to the user or to others. [1]

• QE11.3 Hazardous use of cocaine

  A pattern of cocaine use that appreciably increases the risk of harmful physical or mental health consequences to the user or to others to an extent that warrants attention and advice from health professionals. The increased risk may be from the frequency of cocaine use, from the amount used on a given occasion, from risky behaviours associated with cocaine use or the context of use, from a harmful route of administration, or from a combination of these. The risk may be related to short-term effects of cocaine or to longer-term cumulative effects on physical or mental health or functioning. Hazardous use of cocaine has not yet reached the level of having caused harm to physical or mental health of the user or others around the user. The pattern of cocaine use often persists in spite of awareness of increased risk of harm to the user or to others. [1]

• QE11.4 Hazardous use of stimulants including amphetamines or methamphetamine

  A pattern of use of stimulants including amphetamines and methamphetamine that appreciably increases the risk of harmful physical or mental health consequences to the user or to others to an extent that warrants attention and advice from health professionals. The increased risk may be from the frequency of use of stimulants including amphetamines and methamphetamine, from the amount used on a given occasion, from risky behaviours associated with use of stimulants including amphetamines and methamphetamine or the context of use, from a harmful route of administration, or from a combination of these. The risk may be related to short-term effects of stimulants including amphetamines and methamphetamine or to longer-term cumulative effects on physical or mental health or functioning. Hazardous use of stimulants including amphetamines and methamphetamine has not yet reached the level of having caused harm to physical or mental health of the user or others around the user. The pattern of use of stimulants including amphetamines and methamphetamine often persists in spite of awareness of increased risk of harm to the user or to others. [1]

• QE11.5 Hazardous use of caffeine

  A pattern of caffeine use that appreciably increases the risk of harmful physical or mental health consequences to the user or to others to an extent that warrants attention and advice from health professionals. The increased risk may be from the frequency of caffeine use, from the amount used on a given occasion, from risky behaviours associated with caffeine use or the context of use, from a harmful route of administration, or from a combination of these. The risk may be related to short-term effects of caffeine or to longer-term cumulative effects on physical or mental health or functioning. Hazardous use of caffeine has not yet reached the level of having caused harm to physical or mental health of the user or others around the user. The pattern of caffeine use often persists in spite of awareness of increased risk of harm to the user or to others. [1]

• QE11.6 Hazardous use of MDMA or related drugs

  A pattern of use of MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) or related drugs that appreciably increases the risk of harmful physical or mental health consequences to the user or to others to an extent that warrants attention and advice from health professionals. The increased risk may be from the frequency of use of MDMA or related drugs, from the amount used on a given occasion, from risky behaviours associated with use of MDMA or related drugs or the context of use, from a harmful route of administration, or from a combination of these. The risk may be related to short-term effects of MDMA or related drugs or to longer-term cumulative effects on physical or mental health or functioning. Hazardous use of MDMA or related drugs has not yet reached the level of having caused harm to physical or mental health of the user or others around the user. The pattern of use of MDMA or related drugs often persists in spite of awareness of increased risk of harm to the user or to others. [1]

• QE11.7 Hazardous use of dissociative drugs including ketamine or PCP

  A pattern of use of dissociative drugs including ketamine and PCP (phencyclidine) that appreciably increases the risk of harmful physical or mental health consequences to the user or to others to an extent that warrants attention and advice from health professionals. The increased risk may be from the frequency of use of dissociative drugs including ketamine and PCP, from the amount used on a given occasion, from risky behaviours associated with use of dissociative drugs including ketamine and PCP or the context of use, from a harmful route of administration, or from a combination of these. The risk may be related to short-term effects of dissociative drugs including ketamine and PCP or to longer-term cumulative effects on physical or mental health or functioning. Hazardous use of dissociative drugs including ketamine and PCP has not yet reached the level of having caused harm to physical or mental health of the user or others around the user. The pattern of use of dissociative drugs including ketamine and PCP often persists in spite of awareness of increased risk of harm to the user or to others. [1]

• QE11.8 Hazardous use of other specified psychoactive substances

  A pattern of use of other specified psychoactive substances that appreciably increases the risk of harmful physical or mental health consequences to the user or to others to an extent that warrants attention and advice from health professionals. The increased risk may be from the frequency of use of the substance, from the amount used on a given occasion, from risky behaviours associated with use of the substance or the context of use, from a harmful route of administration, or from a combination of these. The risk may be related to short-term effects of the specified substance or to longer-term cumulative effects on physical or mental health or functioning. Hazardous use of other specified psychoactive substances has not yet reached the level of having caused harm to physical or mental health of the user or others around the user. The pattern of substance use often persists in spite of awareness of increased risk of harm to the user or to others. [1]

• QE11.9 Hazardous use of unknown or unspecified psychoactive substances

  A pattern of use of unknown or unspecified psychoactive substances that appreciably increases the risk of harmful physical or mental health consequences to the user or to others to an extent that warrants attention and advice from health professionals. The increased risk may be from the frequency of use of the substance, from the amount used on a given occasion, from risky behaviours associated with use of the substance or the context of use, from a harmful route of administration, or from a combination of these. The risk may be related to short-term effects of the unknown or unspecified substance or to longer-term cumulative effects on physical or mental health or functioning. Hazardous use of unknown or unspecified psychoactive substances has not yet reached the level of having caused harm to physical or mental health of the user or others around the user. The pattern of substance use often persists in spite of awareness of increased risk of harm to the user or to others. [1]

Coded elsewhere

• Disorders due to substance use

References

1. World Health Organization. International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision, for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics (ICD-11 MMS), 2026-01 release. World Health Organization; 2026.

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