Drug and Substance Use Among 3,333 London Adolescents

Abstract

A confidential and anonymous self-report survey among 3,333 adolescents was carried out in six state comprehensive schools in London. It enquired, among many other varieties, about the frequency of current use of cigarettes, alcohol, solvents and other illegal drugs. The results showed that one in five 11-16 year olds have tried solvents or drugs, one in twelve are repeated users and one in twenty have tried "hard drugs'. Two-thirds have ever used alcohol, one in nine can be described as frequent and possibly heavy drinkers, and one in five smoke cigarettes regularly. Smoking is more prevalent and more frequent among girls, while repeated use of drugs (including solvents) as well as alcohol shows no sex differences. The frequency of use of individual substances shows no significant sex differences except for solvents and cocaine where girls predominate.

Uso de drogas psicotrópicas por estudantes: prevalência e fatores sociais associados

“…16 The results obtained in relation to work, and those in the literature, give pause for thought regarding some relatively well established beliefs within Brazilian society, such as the idea that free time is a factor that favors the use of drugs. Such a concept would imply the identification of a supposed poor student who would spend most of his free time on the streets and thus would be vulnerable to the use of drugs.…”

“…They have, for example, identified that variables like male gender, 3 age, 10,16 work, 17 family breakup 9 and absence of religion 8 are associated with greater use of drugs among students, in a diversity of sociocultural contexts.…”

Adolescent Drug Education Programmes: Methods and Age Targeting

“…Results of a recent survey among more than 3,000 school children aged 11-16 (Swadi 1988) showed that the most vulnerable age is below 14. This is shown by the figures for the age prevalence as in table 3.…”

“…For this purpose there are currently tens, and maybe hundreds, of drug and alcohol education packages that are utilised either in formal or informal educational settings. For such programmes to be effective, they need to be targeted towards the right audience (Swadi 1988). …”

Consumo de drogas de diseño entre los adolescentes españoles: Determinantes demográficos y psicosociales

“…La experimentación, consumo abusivo y abuso constituyen las principales etapas del consumo de drogas en la adolescencia (Graña, Muñoz & Delgado, 2000). Cuanto más temprano se empiece a consumir las distintas sustancias adictivas es más probable que se sigan consumiendo de adultos y que se prueben incluso otras drogas más duras (Swadi, 1988).…”