A gender comparison of legal and illicit drug consumption

Background: It is possible that men consume a higher amount of legal and illegal drugs than women. This can be assessed using the peer methodology, that is an adaptation of the privileged access interviewers (PAI) method and allows to identify populations in which there may be a tendency to under state a phenomenon (hidden populations) Aim: To compare the consumption of legal and illegal drugs by gender. Material and methods: Drug consumption was assessed using a peer methodology in university students between 18 and 26 years of age. Results: A random sample of 56 women (mean age 21.6 years) and 86 men (mean age 21.5 years), was studied. Women tended to report a higher proportion of tobacco consumption than men. Both genders bad a similar consumption behavior of alcohol, total legal drugs, marihuana, cocaine, ecstasies and total illegal drugs. Among subjects that recognized the consumption of legal drugs, men have a higher proportion of illicit drug use and women have a higher proportion of smoking. Men have a higher awareness of the damages caused by drug consumption. Conclusions. The results in these small population sample do not support the hypothesis that men have a higher frequency and propoption of illicit drug consumption (Rev Med Chile 200 7; 135.- 449-56).