A qualitative study on women substance users in and around Kathmandu has revealed some alarming findings. The research, conducted among 200 respondents by The Richmond Fellowship Nepal, Women Research Project, indicated that the majority of women substance users were between the ages of 20-29. They started using substances as young as 12-19 years old, and many use multiple substances. What's more, 74 percent have never been treated for substance abuse, 59 percent are involved in commercial sex work, and 38.68 percent said they had tested HIV-positive. As women and drug users, they face greater discrimination and social exclusion, the study points out. Many have been abandoned by their families, as a result of which their children have been neglected, they are ill-treated by health care providers, and they face harassment and violence.