Substance Abuse among Students in a Dental School

Abstract

Introduction: Substance abuse has become a burning issue among the medical and dental students. Dental students, who later transform into dentists, have a significant role in substance abuse cessation. Thus the study was undertaken to quantify substance abuse among dental students of Kantipur Dental College. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using pretested self-administered questionnaire among undergraduate and post graduate students of Kantipur Dental College. Convenience sampling was done and sample size was calculated.Results: Study revealed 166 (74.10%) as never smokers, 3 (1.30%) as former smokers and 55 (24.60%) as current smokers. Similarly 97 (43.3%) students never used alcoholic drink, 95 (42.41%) consumed alcohol monthly, 29 (12.95%) consumed alcohol 2-4 times a month and 3 (1.34%) consumed alcohol 2-3 times a week. A total of 78 (35%) students used cannabis.Conclusions: Substantial numbers of students were indulged in deleterious habits of smoking, tobacco and cannabis intake. Students need to be properly counseled to discourage substance abuse and create a healthy society.

Cannabis Use and Abuse in Nepal: A Review of Studies

“…Substance including cannabis problem among medical/ health science students appears to be a great concern JNMA I VOL 59 I ISSUE 241 I September 2021 by a relatively fair number of the studies looking into it. [35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47] Investigation into cannabis ab/use has been a part of overall mental/health and substance research of most of these studies though there are a few studies intensively looking into cannabis use and problem among these students. Most of these studies have heterogeneous subjects (of various programs, years or schools).…”

“…Although medical students are supposed to be and were relatively more aware about the negative consequences of psychoactive substances, cannabis use was fairly common among them. Most of them looked into its use which ranges from 1% (among nursing students) 39 to 40% (among those medical students consuming energy drinks 41 and 35% among dental students) 46 . The physical dependence and other consequences of cannabis among its users were not largely investigated thoroughly.…”

“…49 In most of the studies in Nepal as in abroad; males outnumber females. [37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48]50 However, in one study among 78 dental students who used cannabis, females outnumbered male users of which 53 (67.95%) were females. 46…”

“…A study done among dental students reported pleasure-seeking and difficulty in handling pressure as the cause for the use of substances. 46 In a study among Ex-client of opioid substitution therapy (OST) in Kathmandu completing their OST, the average duration of cannabis use was 15 years. Many (17/20) users had consumed marijuana to seek pleasure; followed by peer influence, out of curiosity, and least used for getting high.…”