Abstract
Background: The pattern of alcohol and substance use is changing, with the introduction of novel psychoactive substances, the internet as a means of acquisition and variations in drug purity and price. Alcohol and substance use among adolescents is associated with behavioural, mental health, health and social difficulties; arising at a vulnerable period in their development. Little is known about adolescent substance use in the UK, especially in rural areas.
Aim: To investigate the prevalence of substance use amongst young people, aged 16-21 years, in Norfolk schools.
Design: Cross sectional questionnaire survey. Method Pupils from two, sixth form colleges in Norfolk answered a self-report questionnaire designed to measure prevalence, age of onset and frequency of use for alcohol, tobacco, illicit substances including new psychoactive substances as well as demographic data.
Results: A total of 482 students completed the survey (68% participation rate). Life-time use of alcohol was reported by 442 (91.7%) students and over half the pupils had tried tobacco (52.5%, n=253). About 40.7% reported cannabis use and nearly one-fifth (18.9%, n=91) reported using 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA); 41.1% (n=198) students reported using 'any drug' and 23.2% (n=112) 'using an illicit drug other than cannabis' and 8.7% (n=42) reported the use of a novel psychoactive substance.
Conclusion: The most widely used substances were alcohol, tobaccos and cannabis; in keeping with European trends. Over the past decade a decline in alcohol and drug use by adolescents has been seen in the UK. However, since 2010 this decline has slowed with an increase in substance use noted in the past 2 years. This study provides evidence to support this trend. The findings demonstrate differences between the use of substances by pupils in this Norfolk sample compared to national surveys and more urbanized areas. These regional differences can be used to assist the development of local interventions targeting substance use among adolescents.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 699-706 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | QJM |
| Volume | 111 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| Early online date | 18 Jul 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2018 |
| Event | 18th International Conference on Harmonisation within Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling for Regulatory Purposes, HARMO 2017 - Bologna, Italy Duration: 9 Oct 2017 → 12 Oct 2017 |
Keywords
- Health effects
- NO2 exposure
- Sensitivity study
