ESPAD SURVEY ON THE USE OF TOBACCO, ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN THE DOLENJS']JSKA REGION

Aim: The purpose of the study was to assess the prevalence of drug use in 15-16-year old students in the region of Dolenjska, and to identify the trends of drug use over the past four years. Methods: The target population included students born in 1991 who answered the anonymous ESPAD questionnaire. The sample was representative of students of both sexes and of all types of secondary schools. The findings were compared with the results obtained by the ESPAD survey conducted in the Dolenjska region in 2003. Results: Alcohol and tobacco were the most frequently used drugs. Sixty-one percent of 15-16-year-old students reported the use of tobacco; 7% smoked 11 or more cigarettes per day in the previous month. Ninety-five percent of respondents reported drinking alcohol beverages in their lifetime; more then a half of them experienced drunkenness; 24.5 % in the last 30 days. The prevalence of lifetime marijuana use was 17 %; the prevalence for the use of inhalants was 12 %, and for tranquillizers or sedatives obtained without a doctor's prescription, 3 %. The prevalence for the use of other illegal drugs ranged between 0.5% and 4 %. Conclusion: The use of alcohol and some illegal drugs increased over the past four years, but the proportion of students who regularly smoked tobacco decreased.