Using a 'snowballing' technique, prospective data have been collected from 135 regular drug using individuals in two Scottish towns, Edinburgh, and Ayr. Data from the first wave would suggest that poly drug use is common, with a major reliance on licit, prescribed substances. Amongst both intravenous and non-intravenous drug users, awareness and concern about HIV/AIDS would not appear to have produced significant changes in sexual behaviour. Furthermore, responses from intravenous users indicate that there has been no large scale adoption of safer injection techniques.