In the largest prison in Burkina Faso, 12% of inmates used drugs inside the prison, with cannabis being the most common (71%), and one-third of in-prison drug users initiated use while incarcerated.
Prison health officials, drug policy researchers, and public health advocates in West Africa
33% of in-prison drug users started using drugs while incarcerated
What the researchers found
Cannabis was the primary drug used by prisoners (71.1% of in-prison users), followed by tramadol (62.2%), diazepam (13.3%), and cocaine (2.2%). Of 45 inmates who used drugs in prison, 15 (33.3%) first started using drugs while incarcerated. Pre-prison drug use was the strongest predictor of in-prison use (aOR=4.01), along with younger age.
Why it matters
This is the first study of drug use in prison in Burkina Faso. The finding that one-third of in-prison drug users first tried drugs while incarcerated challenges the idea that prison prevents drug use and instead suggests it can serve as a site of drug initiation.
The numbers in context
379 prisoners. 32.7% lifetime illicit drug use. 28.8% used drugs before incarceration. 11.9% used drugs in prison. 33.3% of in-prison users initiated in prison. Cannabis: 71.1% of in-prison users. Tramadol: 62.2%. Pre-prison use: aOR=4.01 for in-prison use.
How the study worked
Cross-sectional study of 379 prisoners in Ouagadougou central prison, selected via systematic random sampling. Face-to-face interviews collected data on substance use before and during incarceration. Multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with in-prison drug use.
What this study cannot tell us
Face-to-face interviews in prison grounds may lead to underreporting due to fear of consequences. No biological testing to confirm self-reported use. Single prison in one city. Cross-sectional design cannot track changes over time.
How to read the evidence
First study of its kind in Burkina Faso with systematic sampling, but limited by self-report and social desirability bias in a prison setting.
When this study was published
2024 study using 2018 data
The bigger picture
Drug use in African prisons is understudied. This study reveals that even in a country with harsh drug penalties, cannabis is widely available in prisons. The repressive approach appears ineffective, with new users being created inside the very institutions meant to deter use.
Questions still open
- Would harm reduction approaches in Burkina Faso prisons be more effective than prohibition? How does drug availability in African prisons compare to other regions? Could prison-based drug education reduce initiation?
Common questions
Do prisoners use drugs while incarcerated?
Does prison prevent drug use?
Read the original research
Extent and patterns of drug use in prison in Burkina Faso: findings from a cross-sectional study in central prison of Ouagadougou.
International journal of prison health, 20(2), 128-142
Citation
Traoré, Karim; Cissé, Kadari; Diendéré, Eric Arnaud; Damiba, Boukari; Dao, Ginette Laure; Dao, Abdoul Kader; Kaboré, Ahmed. (2024). Extent and patterns of drug use in prison in Burkina Faso: findings from a cross-sectional study in central prison of Ouagadougou.. International journal of prison health, 20(2), 128-142. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPH-12-2022-0082
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