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Sample records for psychoactive substances alcohol

  1. Alcohol and Psychoactive Substance Use among University Students in Edirne and Related Parameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Görgülü, Yasemin; Çakir, Diğdem; Sönmez, Mehmet Bülent; Köse Çinar, Rugül; Vardar, Mehmet Erdal

    2016-06-01

    Alcohol and psychoactive substance use and their effects are an important issue among adolescents and young adults. Different results have been reported about the frequency of alcohol and psychoactive substance use among university students in studies conducted both in Turkey and in different places worldwide. The frequency of alcohol and psychoactive substance use among Trakya University students (n=1385) and the related parameters were studied cross-sectionally using a self-reporting questionnaire. Alcohol was the most common substance used (30%), followed by tobacco (29.9%) and marijuana (3.1%). The frequency of alcohol and psychoactive substance use was found to be higher among males with higher amounts of pocket money, whose parents experienced more conflict in their relationship, and who belong to families with a higher education and income level. The frequency of alcohol and psychoactive substance use among Trakya University students was found to be lower than other regions in Turkey and particularly lower than the levels reported in studies conducted in other countries.

  2. [Profile of psychoactive substances consumption in workplace].

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    Bœuf-Cazou, Olivia; Lapeyre-Mestre, Maryse; Niezborala, Michel; Montastruc, Jean-Louis

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this study was to identify profiles of psychoactive substances consumers among workers according to their professional characteristics. In 2006, 2213 workers participated in "Mode de Vie et Travail" (Drugs and Work) cross-sectional survey. Data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire concerning general and professional characteristics and the consumption of psychoactive substances (psychoactive drugs, tobacco, alcohol and cannabis) during the professional medical visit. We identified consumer profiles with a hierarchical ascendant classification as statistical method. We underlined five profiles associated with psychoactive substance consumption: (1) alcohol consumers in the workplace were sales engineers satisfied with their employment, (2) alcohol consumers after their work were not satisfied with their lives, (3) cannabis consumers were men professionally satisfied but suffering from job insecurity, (4) smokers were workers with professional responsibilities under time pressure, and finally (5) poly-consumers had strong professional constraints. This study guides occupational physicians on psychoactive substances consumption among a worker population. © 2011 Société Française de Pharmacologie et de Thérapeutique.

  3. [Psychoactive substances in biological samples--toxicological laboratory data].

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    Gomółka, Ewa; Wilimowska, Jolanta; Piekoszewski, Wojciech; Groszek, Barbara

    2004-01-01

    The subject of the research was the analysis of frequency and type of psychoactive substances used, basing on the determinations the blood and/or urine samples, performed in the toxicological laboratory of the Department of Clinical and Industrial Toxicology Jagiellonian University in Kraków in the period from December 2001 to November 2003. From 17,649 performed determinations--45.5% were positive. 50% of the positive determinations were psychoactive substances. The most often psychoactive substance determined was ethyl alcohol (52.86%), next benzodiazepines (17.41%), amphetamines (10.54%), opiates (8.05%), THC (6.87%), barbiturates (3.74%), and occasionally atropine and cocaine. There was observed a variety of mixed, simultaneously taking psychoactive substances, especially ethyl alcohol, opiates, amphetamine derivatives and cannabinoids. The analysis of the occurrence of psychoactive substances in biological samples from patients treated in different hospital departments, others hospitals and ordered by private persons also was performed. In the last two years 369 private patients ordered psychoactive substances determinations and 78 of them were positive.

  4. Prevalence of psychoactive substances, alcohol and illicit drugs, in Spanish drivers: A roadside study in 2015.

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    Domingo-Salvany, Antonia; Herrero, M Jesús; Fernandez, Beatriz; Perez, Julio; Del Real, Pilar; González-Luque, Juan Carlos; de la Torre, Rafael

    2017-09-01

    A survey was conducted during 2015 to monitor psychoactive substance use in a sample of drivers in Spanish roads and cities. Traffic police officers recruited drivers at sites carefully chosen to achieve representativeness of the driver population. A brief questionnaire included the date, time, and personal and driving patterns data. Alcohol use was ascertained through ethanol breath test at the roadside and considered positive if concentrations >0.05mg alcohol/L were detected. Four drug classes were assessed on-site through an oral fluid screening test that, if positive, was confirmed through a second oral fluid sample at a reference laboratory. Laboratory confirmation analyses screened for 26 psychoactive substances. To evaluate the association between drug findings and age, sex, road type (urban/interurban), and period of the week (weekdays, weeknights, weekend days, weekend nights), logistic regression analyses were done (overall, and separately for alcohol, cannabis and cocaine). A total of 2744 drivers, mean age of 37.5 years, 77.8% men, were included. Overall, 11.6% of the drivers had at least one positive finding to the substances assessed. Substances more frequently testing positive were cannabis (7.5%), cocaine (4.7%) and alcohol (2.6%). More than one substance was detected in 4% of the subjects. The proportion of positive results decreased with age, and was more likely among men and on urban roads. The pattern for alcohol use was similar but did not change with age and increased among drivers recruited at night. Cannabis was more likely to be detected at younger ages and cocaine was associated with night driving. Alcohol use before driving has decreased over the last decade; however, the consumption of other illegal drugs seems to have increased. The pattern of illegal psychoactive substance observed is similar to that declared in surveys of the general population of adults. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  5. Psychoactive substance use/abuse among students in Igbinedion ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Psychoactive substance use/abuse among students in Igbinedion University, Okada, Nigeria-new challenges. E Uwadiae ... (NPF), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) must be sufficiently informed that substances of abuse have gone beyond the conventional substances like alcohol, cannabis, cigarette etc.

  6. Psychoactive substance use by truck drivers: a systematic review.

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    Girotto, Edmarlon; Mesas, Arthur Eumann; de Andrade, Selma Maffei; Birolim, Marcela Maria

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study was to summarise the scientific evidence on the prevalence of psychoactive substance use and on the factors associated with their intake among truck drivers. A systematic review was performed in the databases PubMed, Scientific Electronic Library Online, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences, and Cochrane and 36 cross-sectional studies were identified with quantitative results about the use of psychoactive substances by truck drivers. Out of these, 28 were carried out in countries with large land areas and 23 obtained their information through self-reporting. The most frequently studied substances were alcohol (n=25), amphetamines (n=17), marijuana (n=16) and cocaine (n=13). The prevalence of the use of these substances greatly varied: alcohol (0.1-91.0%); amphetamines (0.2-82.5%), marijuana (0.2-29.9%), cocaine (0.1-8.3%). The frequency of substance use was lower in studies that investigated the presence of these substances in biological samples than in those based on self-reported use. In 12 studies that evaluated factors associated with the intake of psychoactive substances, the following stood out: younger age, higher income, longer trips, alcohol consumption, driving in the night shift, travelling interstate routes, long or short sleep, fewer hours of rest, little experience of the driver, connection with small and medium sized companies, income below levels determined by labour agreements, productivity-based earnings and prior involvement in accidents. The frequency of psychoactive substance use by truck drivers seems to be high, although that greatly varies according to the type of substance and the method of collecting the information. The use of these substances was mainly associated with indicators of poor working conditions.

  7. Determinants of psychoactive substances use among Woldia University students in Northeastern Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adere, Ashete; Yimer, Nigus Bililign; Kumsa, Henok; Liben, Misgan Legesse

    2017-09-05

    Psychoactive substance use has become a major public health problem among students in Ethiopian universities. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the magnitude and determinants of psychoactive substances use (khat chewing, alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking) among undergraduate students of Woldia University, Ethiopia. Institution based quantitative cross-sectional study was employed on Woldia University students in April 2015. 730 students were included in the study. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. EpiData version 3.02 was used to enter data. Then, data were exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. The lifetime prevalence of alcohol drinking, khat chewing and cigarette smoking among the study students were 33.1, 13 and 7.9%, respectively. Likewise, the current prevalence of alcohol drinking, khat chewing and cigarette smoking was 27.9, 10.4 and 6.4%, respectively. More than half of the surveyed students (59.1%) were introduced to psychoactive substance use by peer pressure. About 66% of the study participants believed that psychoactive substances are important for relaxation, and 19% to relief from stress. Students who were Muslims [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 3.74, 95% CI (1.57, 8.91)], Oromo ethnic group [AOR 2.63, 95% CI (1.19, 5.81)], ever drunk alcohol [AOR 6.32, 95% CI (2.96, 13.48)] and ever smoked cigarette [AOR: 9.16, 95% CI (4.33, 19.38)] were positively associated with khat chewing. Furthermore, pocket money and ever khat chewing were associated with alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking. This study showed that psychoactive substances use is somewhat prevalent among students in Woldia University. Hence, support of religious institutions in providing education aimed at preventing substance use, establishing and strengthening peer educators in the university are important interventions to tackle psychoactive substances use.

  8. Prevalence of alcohol and other psychoactive substances in drivers in general traffic. Part I: General results

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Houwing, Sjoerd; Hagenzieker, Marjan; Mathijssen, René

    2011-01-01

    DRUID (Driving under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines) aimed to combat the problem of driving under the influence of psychoactive substances by providing a solid scientific base for European policy makers. It brought together experienced organisations in Europe to assemble...... of offenders and withdrawal of driving licenses (www.druid-project.eu). The main objective of WP2 of DRUID was to assess the situation in Europe regarding the prevalence and risk of the use of illicit drugs, alcohol and psychoactive medicinal drugs by drivers. The main aim of this study was to obtain more...

  9. Pattern of psychoactive substance use in the northern region of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Pattern of psychoactive substance use in the northern region of Nigeria. ... African Journal of Drug and Alcohol Studies ... The purpose of this study was to assess the pattern of psychoactive substance use among inmates at Kiru Rehabilitation Centre, Kano in the North Central Region of Nigeria, to determine the extent of ...

  10. [Acting out and psychoactive substances: alcohol, drugs, illicit substances].

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    Gillet, C; Polard, E; Mauduit, N; Allain, H

    2001-01-01

    In humans, some psychotropic agents (alcohol, drugs, illicit substances) have been suggested to play a role in the occurrence of major behavioural disorders, mainly due to the suppression of psychomotor inhibition. Behavioural disinhibition is a physiological mechanism which allows humans to behave appropriately according to a given environmental situation. The behavioural disinhibition induced by either therapeutic dosage or misuse involves the loss of restraint over certain types of social behaviour and may increase the risk of auto or hetero-aggression and acting out. The increased use of psychotropic agents in recent years and the occurrence of unwanted effects are worrying and must be detected and evaluated. The objective of the present study was to establish a causal relationship between psychoactive substance use and occurrence of major behavioural disorders, such as paradoxical rage reactions and suicidal behaviour, based on a literature analysis. It consisted of reviewing reports of drug-induced violent reactions in healthy volunteers and demonstrating, where possible, a cause-effect relationship. Patients with schizophrenia and psychopathic personalities were not included in our study since psychiatric comorbidity could influence behavioural responses. Psychotropic agents included drugs, licit and illicit substances already associated with violence in the past. Many reports used the "Go/No Go test" to evaluate the disinhibiting effect of psychotropic substances; this allows the "cognitive mapping" of drugs. The results suggest that only alcohol, antidepressants, benzodiazepines and cocaïne are related to aggressive behaviour. The best known precipitant of behavioural disinhibition is alcohol, which induces aggressive behaviour. However, there are large differences between individuals, and attentional mechanisms are now recognised as being important in mediating the effects of alcohol. Suicidal tendency as an adverse antidepressant reaction is rare

  11. Some characteristics of acute poisoning with psychoactive substances in the period of socioeconomic transition 1990-2000.

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    Iliev, Y T; Akabaliev, V H; Avgarska, L P

    2001-01-01

    Although scarce, the data about acute poisonings with psycho-active substances during the period of socioeconomic crisis in Bulgaria indicate the appearance and increase of the use of inhalants, prescribed and over-the-counter medications and the increase of acute poisoning rate with heroin. To ascertain some characteristics of acute poisonings with psycho-active substances in Plovdiv region from 01.01.1990 to 31.12.2000. The whole caseload of 571 acute poisonings with psycho-active substances in Plovdiv region (8.8% of the population of the country) between 1990 and 2000, treated in the only Clinic of Toxicology in the region is studied retrospectively. The variables gender, age, type of psycho-active substance (DSM-IV criteria), grade of severity, duration of use, times of poisoning and some differences between alcohol and opioid poisonings are investigated. Acute poisoning with psycho-active substances are 5.43% of all intoxications. The moderate grade of severity (48.5%), alcohol (62.8%) and opioid (15.3%) intoxications, debut poisoning (86.8%) and poisonings occurring in the initial period of use predominate. An increase of acute poisonings with psycho-active substances in the last third of the studied period (1990-2000) is established--severe forms (2.59 times) and recidivistic intoxication (4 times). Alcohol and opioid poisonings predominate among severe intoxications. The hospital stay is relatively short--1.75 +/- 0.67 and hospital lethality is 1.6%. 1. The moderate grade of severity, alcohol and opioid intoxications (especially in the severe grade cases), occurrence in the initial period of use and relatively short hospital stay predominate in acute poisonings with psycho-active substances in the period of socioeconomic crisis. Hospital lethality (1.6%) is ascertained only in severe alcohol intoxication. 2. An increase of acute poisonings with psycho-active substances--severe forms, mild forms and recidivistic intoxications is established in the last

  12. Use of psychoactive substances in students at a public university

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    Meire Luci da Silva

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The use of psychoactive substances by the student population has been the object of various studies in Brazil. Objective: To determine the prevalence of substance use among students. Methods: Quantitative study with a closed questionnaire based on standardized assessment instruments was developed. It consists of questions related to types of psychoactive substance use, abuse, frequency and duration of use, self-criticism regarding the use, consequences of use in relation to health, and misdemeanors committed under the influence of psychoactive substances. The sample included the participation of 268 students. A total of 183 (68.3% questionnaires were analyzed, and only those with positive result for substance abuse at some point in life, the remainder, 85 (31% questionnaires, had negative responses to psychoactive substances. Results: Students’ responses to the two years surveyed indicated that the first psychoactive substance used was alcohol (77.9%, followed by tobacco use (10.9%, and marijuana (7.6%. Of the students surveyed, 145 (79.2% answered that still make use of psychoactive substances, and the current frequency of use varies from one or more times per week. When asked about the possibility of being or becoming drug addicts, 169 (92.3% responded that they are not or will not become dependent. Conclusion: The results indicate the high rate of substance use among college students surveyed, and point to their contradiction to consider such psychoactive substances harmful to their health.

  13. Frequency and risk factors of the use of psychoactive substances among the young

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    Pavlović Zorana

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aim. Socio-economic changes that occurred in the wake of dismemberment of former Yugoslavia resulted in the appearance of social pathology, one of which was the increase in the use of psychoactive substances. The over whole epidemiological research in the use of psychoactive substances has not been conducted so far. The aim of this study was to establish the type and form of the use of psychoactive substances considering sex and age, as well as risk factors for the use of psychoactive substances among the children and adolescents. Methods. The research was carried out among 1011 elementary school children (seventh and eighth grades and secondary school children (all four grades in the area of Belgrade from October 2003 to January 2004. Out of the total number 457 (45.2% were elementary school pupils and 554 (54.8% secondary school pupils. There were 524 (51.8% boys and 487 (48.2% girls, aged from 12 to 18 years (the average age being 15.3 years. The method used was the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs Questionnaire. Chisquare test, Mann-Whitney, Student's t test and Logistic Regression test were used in statistical processing of the data. Results. Totally 14.2% examinees tried psychoactive substances. The most frequent drug used at the first contact was marijuana (10.8% at the age of 15 tried by 12.7% examinees, inhalants (4.4%, amphetamines (4.1%, sedatives (3.7%, alcohol combined with marijuana (3.9%, then cocaine (2.8%, heroine (2.3%, alcohol combined with sedatives (2.2%, and ecstasy (1.6%, followed by anabolic steroids, heroin, diethilamid lisergic acid (LSD and magic mushrooms. It was determined that going out in the evening, smoking and binge form drinking were directly connected with the use of psychoactive substances. Conclusion. Totally 14.2% of the examiners used psychoactive substances, mostly marijuana, followed by amphetamines and others. New tendencies of use characterized by the increase in the

  14. Experimentation with psychoactive substances by public school students

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    Maria Eliane de Andrade

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To analyze the prevalence of exposure to psychoactive substances in public students of basic education and its association with sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS This is a cross-sectional survey conducted from March to September 2015, involving 1,009 students of the basic and high school education in 20 public schools in the municipality of Aracaju, State of Sergipe, Brazil. The data have been compiled using questionnaires previously applied in national studies of the Brazilian Center for Psychotropic Drugs. The variables have been dichotomized for later logistic regression using the Chi-square test to analyze associations between experimentation with psychoactive substances and other sociodemographic variables; odds ratio and confidence intervals have also been calculated. The level of significance adopted was 5%. RESULTS We have identified that 69.6% of the students have experimented alcohol and 12.4% cigarettes. Age (≥ 15 years has shown a significant association with experimentation with alcohol (p < 0.001 and cigarettes (p = 0.02, acting as risk factor in both cases (OR = 2.34 and 1, 78, respectively, but it acted as a protective factor for the use of inhalants (p = 0.03 and OR = 0.58 and weight loss medication (p = 0.006 and OR = 0.44. Religious practice had a significant association with experimentation with alcohol (p = 0.01, functioning as a protective factor (OR = 0.56. CONCLUSIONS We have concluded that the psychoactive substance most experienced by students was alcohol, followed by cigarettes, and chance for experimentation increases after the age of 15. Religious practice, in turn, acts as a protective factor for experimentation with alcohol.

  15. Prevalence of alcohol and other psychoactive substances in injured and killed drivers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Isalberti, Cristina; Linden, Trudy Van der; Legrand, Sara-Ann

    2011-01-01

    regarding the prevalence of alcohol and other psychoactive substances in drivers who have been injured/killed in traffic accidents. Part 1 of this report presents the general results of the hospital & killed driver studies. After a short introduction, the representativeness of the populations in the EU...... countries as well as the representativeness of hospitalised and killed driver samples are addressed. An overview of the non-response issues in the various countries is also included. Based on the toxicological findings, a general summary of the prevalence of drug use is given for the 9 participating...

  16. A Qualitative Study on the Effects of Psychoactive Substance use upon Artistic Creativity.

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    Iszaj, Fruzsina; Ehmann, Bea; Griffiths, Mark D; Demetrovics, Zsolt

    2017-11-29

    Psychoactive substance use has often been claimed to help generate and facilitate the artistic creative process. This study explored the role of artists' substance use in their creative processes and their efforts to balance between enhancement and relaxation. Semistructured interviews concerning the artistic creative process and the role of psychoactive substance use were recorded with 72 artists and analyzed using content analysis. The participants were classified according to their substance use in three groups (Cannabis Group, Alcohol Group, and Control Group). Results show that both alcohol and cannabis were used to facilitate creativity and the emotional states that are necessary for the artistic creative process. Participants in the Control group reported that listening to music might function as a mind-altering tool. It was also found that for some artists, substance use is not only characteristic to creation, but it is also part of their everyday lives. Artists are aware of the balancing phenomenon during the artistic creative process. Whether psychoactive substance(s) or other environmental stimuli (such as music) are used to reach the required effect appears to depend upon the individual.

  17. [Psychoactive substance use during pregnancy: a review].

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    Lamy, S; Thibaut, F

    2010-02-01

    All around the world, the potential consequences of the increasing use of psychoactive substances during pregnancy are a major public health concern. It is estimated that 20 to 30% of pregnant women use tobacco, 15% use alcohol, 3 to 10% use cannabis and 0.5 to 3% use cocaine. The estimation of tobacco consumption during pregnancy is better known as compared with alcohol and substance use prevalence during pregnancy, which remains under estimated or unknown. For example, in France, the prevalence of cannabis and cocaine use during pregnancy is unknown. In general, the prevalence of drug or alcohol use during pregnancy is estimated by extrapolating data from epidemiological studies conducted in the general population (in France or in other countries). However, drug or alcohol use in the general population may dramatically vary from one country to another. Even if some studies have reported the prevalence of alcohol or substance use in different countries around the world, most of them were based on the mother's interview. In most cases, the mother did not report exactly the amount of drugs or alcohol used. Further studies measuring alcohol or substance use in the mother's blood, hair or in the newborn's meconium are needed. In addition, different methodologies have been used in the literature (different types of interview, with or without biological measurements; different subjects included (in- or out-pregnant women, psychiatric comorbidities or not, different economic status, etc). Despite these methodological biases, the prevalence of drug or alcohol use increases in pregnant women, and in most cases, several drugs are associated. Most of the studies have used structured or semi-structured interviews such as the addiction severity index (ASI) or the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT) to assess alcohol or drug consumption. In addition, the identification of risk factors for substance or alcohol use during pregnancy would allow the early detection of

  18. The prevalence of psychoactive substances use among secondary school students from selected cities of Upper Silesia

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    Maja Muszyńska-Graca

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: The prevalence of psychoactive substances among teenagers in Poland has grown for several years. Statistics maintain at a lower level than in the western Europe, however it is necessary to conduct its permanent monitoring. The work presents results of the questionnaire study carried out in IOMEH in years 2010–11. Objective: The aim of this paper is to present the scale of psychoactive substances prevalence among teenagers from Silesian cities. Materials and methods: The programme was carried out by use of modified questionnaire of the ESPAD study. Questions related to characteristics of the examined person, dissemination, accessibility, awareness of risk and problems associated with the use of psychoactive substances. 928 teenagers: students of IIIrd grade of secondary schools and Ist and IInd grades of high schools from Sosnowiec and Chorzów (62% boys and 38% girls participated in the study. Results: 86,9% girls and 89,8% boys confirmed contact with the alcohol at least once in the lifetime and it is the most widespread psychoactive substance in the study group. Out of the other substances, cannabis use was confirmed by 40,7% of students (34,7% girls and 44,3% boys, designer drugs use - by of 21,8% pupils (17,5% girls and 24,5% boys. The distribution within the limits of 10% has been observed in the case of soothing/sleeping pills (also together with alcohol, and amphetamine. The prevalence of contact with other substances was at the level *10%. Boys more often than girls used the respective psychoactive substances (statistically significant differences. Conclusions: Results of the study confirm observation concerning the entire country that drinking alcohol by the young adolescents is becoming the statistical norm. The frequency of other psychoactive substances use demonstrates also concerning levels. There is a need of systematic education among teenagers at school, with particular emphasis on issues related to addiction and

  19. Psychoactive substance intake and gender on crime | okediji ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study investigated the influence of psychoactive substance (alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine) intake and gender on crime. Three hundred and eighty participants (380) were randomly selected from inmates as models of prisons in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The participants comprised 314 males (82.63%) and 66 females ...

  20. Psychoactive substance intake and gender on crime | Okediji ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study investigated the influence of psychoactive substance (alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine) intake and gender on crime. Three hundred and eighty participants (380) were randomly selected from inmates as models of prisons in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The participants comprised 314 males (82.63%) and 66 females ...

  1. Novel Psychoactive Substances in Young Adults with and without Psychiatric Comorbidities

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    Giovanni Martinotti

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. Comorbidities between psychiatric diseases and consumption of traditional substances of abuse (alcohol, cannabis, opioids, and cocaine are common. Nevertheless, there is no data regarding the use of novel psychoactive substances (NPS in the psychiatric population. The purpose of this multicentre survey is to investigate the consumption of a wide variety of psychoactive substances in a young psychiatric sample and in a paired sample of healthy subjects. Methods. A questionnaire has been administered, in different Italian cities, to 206 psychiatric patients aged 18 to 26 years and to a sample of 2615 healthy subjects matched for sex, gender, and living status. Results. Alcohol consumption was more frequent in the healthy young population compared to age-matched subjects suffering from mental illness (79.5% versus 70.7%; P<0.003. Conversely, cocaine and NPS use was significantly more common in the psychiatric population (cocaine 8.7% versus 4.6%; P=0.002 (NPS 9.8% versus 3%; P<0.001. Conclusions. The use of novel psychoactive substances in a young psychiatric population appears to be a frequent phenomenon, probably still underestimated. Therefore, careful and constant monitoring and accurate evaluations of possible clinical effects related to their use are necessary.

  2. Psychoactive substances, alcohol and tobacco consumption in HIV-infected outpatients.

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    Jacquet, Jean-Marc; Peyriere, Hélène; Makinson, Alain; Peries, Marianne; Nagot, Nicolas; Donnadieu-Rigole, Hélène; Reynes, Jacques

    2018-06-01

    To assess the alcohol consumption, tobacco addiction and psychoactive substance use (PSU) of people living with HIV (PLHIV). Cross-sectional study in an HIV outpatient unit. Autoquestionnaire systematically proposed to all patients during their usual clinical care visit during a 6-months period, for alcohol (AUDIT test), tobacco (Short Fagerstrom Test) and PSU (ASSIST V3.0 test). Of 1334 distributed questionnaires, 1018 PLHIV responded: 76.8% were men [528 patients were MSM), and the median age was 49 years (interquartile range: 42-46). A prevalence of excessive alcohol drinking was found in 22% [95% confidence interval (CI) 19.5-24.7%] and 44.6% (CI 41.5-47.7%) were current smokers, with high dependence in 29.1% (CI 24.9-33.7%). The prevalence of PSU was 37.8% (CI 34.8-41%) in the past 3 months: cannabis 27.7%, poppers 16.4%, cocaine 8.9%, psychotropic medications 7.1%, gamma-hydroxybutyrate/gamma-butyrolactone (GHB/GBL) 4.7%, stimulants 3.1%, synthetic cathinones 2.7%, hallucinogens 1.5%. In the past 3 months, PSU was more prevalent in MSM than in non-MSM patients (46 versus 30%, P poppers) 31.0 versus 1.1%, GHB/GBL 7.8 versus 0.8%, stimulants 5.0 versus 1.1%, synthetic cathinones 4.9 versus 0.3%, and hallucinogens 2.3 versus 0.5%. Given the high prevalence of PSU and other addictions (alcohol and smoking) among PLHIV, and particularly among MSM, a systematic screening of PSU and other addictions should be part of routine clinical care.

  3. Determinants of knowledge and use of psychoactive substance among commercial motorcyclist in Sokoto metropolis, Northwest Nigeria

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    M.O.Raji

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is a patterned use of a drug in which the user consumes the substance in amounts or with methods which are harmful to themselves or others, and is a form of substance related disorder. Riding commercial motorcycle entails lot of risk, compounded by abuse of drugs, the scenario can only be worse. This study aimed to assess the determinants of knowledge and use of psychoactive substances among commercial motorcyclist in Sokoto metropolis. Methods The study was a cross sectional descriptive study conducted in Sokoto metropolis, among Commercial motorcyclist, 253 respondents were recruited using multi stage sampling technique. Data was obtained using interviewer administered structured questionnaire containing 47‐item structured questions. Data was analysed using IBM statistical software package version 21, 5% was set as level of significance Result Majority of respondent believed that use of alcohol 214 (84.6, cannabis 147 (58.1 and codeine 171 (67.6 can lead to mental problems. Thirty percent of the respondents reported ever use of psychoactive substances. Most of the respondents (49.3% initiated use of Psychoactive substances between 16‐20 years of age. Respondents who had some formal education had less odds of ever using psychoactive substances (p=0.001, OR= 0.337. Respondents who had ever encouraged fellow commercial motorcyclist to use psychoactive substances had 22 times odds of ever having used psychoactive substances (p=0.000 Conclusion Substance abuse is prevalent among commercial motorcyclist. Despite good knowledge of psychoactive substances and the consequences associated with it, the use was still relatively high. The main predictor of ever use of psychoactive substances was willingness to be friends with someone who use psychoactive substance. There is need for continuous counselling and education of commercial motorcyclist, by road safety workers, on the dangers associated

  4. Issues with monitoring the safety of psychoactive products under a legal regulated market for new psychoactive substances ('legal highs') in New Zealand.

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    Rychert, Marta; Wilkins, Chris; Witten, Karen

    2017-09-01

    New Zealand's Psychoactive Substances Act (2013) established the world's first regulated market for 'low risk' psychoactive products ('legal highs'). Under an interim PSA regime, 47 existing products were permitted to be continued to be sold. To explore issues with the implementation of regulatory systems to monitor the safety of products on the legal market under the interim Psychoactive Substances Act regime. Semi-structured interviews with 30 key stakeholders, including industry, government agency, health and drug service professionals were conducted, transcribed and analysed thematically. In retrospect stakeholders questioned the decision to approve strong synthetic cannabinoid smoking products, noting their health risks because of product formulation, inconsistent manufacturing practices and smoking as the means of administration. Industry actors claimed the decision to approve synthetic cannabinoid smokeable products prevented potentially safer products from gaining market share. The system for withdrawing approved products which were subsequently found to be harmful was criticised for the poor quality of data available, limited engagement with health professionals and the slowness of product withdrawal. Many of the problems with the regime were attributed to the urgency under which the legal market under the interim Psychoactive Substances Act was established and implemented. The selection of 'safer' products, implementation of the product monitoring system, and engagement with health professionals may have benefited from more time and resources. An incremental approach to establishing the new market may have made the regulatory management of the new regime more workable. [Rychert M, Wilkins C, Witten K. Issues with monitoring the safety of psychoactive products under a legal regulated market for new psychoactive substances ('legal highs') in New Zealand. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;00:000-000]. © 2017 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

  5. Psychoactive substance use and dependence among Spanish university students: prevalence, correlates, polyconsumption, and comorbidity with depression.

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    Vázquez, Fernando L

    2010-02-01

    In this study, the prevalence of psychoactive substance use and dependence was estimated among students at a Spanish university, together with associated factors, polyconsumption, and comorbidity with depression, using a 554-member sample stratified by sex, degree year, and discipline. 86.5% had consumed some potentially addictive psychoactive substance in the past month, and 10.5% satisfied DSM-IV criteria for dependence on nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, or cannabis. Polyconsumers (90.4%) consumed an average 3.2 different substances. Current depression implied increased likelihood of having consumed tobacco or psychoactive pharmaceutical drugs in the past month, and DSM-IV symptoms of major depressive episode were shown by 8.6% of 58 substance-dependent participants, 8.7% of 540 past-month legal substance consumers, and 12.1% of 140 past-month illegal substance consumers.

  6. Risk of severe driver injury by driving with psychoactive substances

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hels, Tove; Lyckegaard, Allan; Bernhoft, Inger Marie

    2013-01-01

    , benzoylecgonine, cocaine, cannabis, illicit opiates, benzodiazepines and Z-drugs, i.e. zolpidem and zopiclone, medicinal opioids, alcohol-drug combinations and drug-drug combinations). Data from six countries were included in the study: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Lithuania and the Netherlands. Case samples...... substances. For alcohol, risk increased exponentially with blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The second most risky category contained various drug-drug combinations, amphetamines and medicinal opioids. Medium increased risk was associated with medium sized BACs (at or above 0.5 g/L, below 0.8 g....../L) and benzoylecgonine. The least risky drug seemed to be cannabis and benzodiazepines and Z-drugs. For male drivers, the risk of being severely injured by driving with any of the psychoactive substances was about 65% of that of female drivers. For each of the substance groups there was a decrease in the risk of severe...

  7. Correlates of psychoactive substance use among Nigerian adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oluyemi O Akanni

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Context: The abuse of psychoactive substances which is one of the most important global public health problems begins in adolescence. Adolescents usually start by abusing the gateway substances. They suffer social, economic, physical, and legal consequences on account of use of substances, and this is very worrisome because of the increasing prevalence of use. Aims: The aim was to identify the characteristics of adolescents that use gateway substances. This knowledge shall be utilized in preventive programs. Settings and Design: Cross-sectional study with secondary school adolescents as participants. Subjects and Methods: Multistage sampling technique was used to select 492 respondents and the questionnaire consisted of characteristics of the adolescents, their families and schools and the alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and stimulant use sections of the World Health Organisation questionnaire for student drug use surveys. Statistical Analysis Used: The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, and Chi-square statistics was used. Results: Having a friend who uses substance was significantly associated with tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and caffeine use while being a male, having a family member that uses substance were significantly associated with tobacco, alcohol, and caffeine use. Older age, lack of satisfaction with the relationship with the teacher and polygamous family background were significantly associated with tobacco use. And finally, lack of satisfaction with the relationship with parents/guardians and having parents or guardians who are not religious were significantly associated with alcohol use. Conclusion: A comprehensive approach is needed to prevent the use of substances; this should target individuals, schools, families, and religious institutions.

  8. Monitoring the Internet for emerging psychoactive substances available to Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruno, Raimondo; Poesiat, Rosalie; Matthews, Allison Jane

    2013-09-01

    Novel psychoactive substances are increasingly available, both in traditional storefronts and via the Internet. While some use of such substances has been captured in Australian consumer surveys and wastewater analyses, there is little information about the products that are available to Australia via the Internet. Systematic monthly Internet monitoring for emerging psychoactive substances was conducted between July 2011 and July 2012. Webstores identified through searches were examined to determine if they sold stimulant or psychedelic emerging psychoactive substances to Australia. Internet search numbers for these products were examined over time using commercial tools. In 12 months, 43 unique webstores were identified selling to Australia, averaging two new webstores per month; however, two-fifths had closed within six months. Over 200 unique chemically unspecified products sold by purported effect (e.g. 'charge') were identified over 12 months, averaging 10 new products per month. Almost half of these products had disappeared from the market within six months. Eighty-six unique chemically specified products (e.g. methylenedioxypyrovalerone) were identified over 12 months, averaging four new novel substances per month. Once released, these products typically remained available, with almost 90% still available for purchase over a 6-month period. Almost 40 000 searches for these products emanated from Australia per month. This market is fast paced as retailers strive to beat both regulatory processes and competitors. Ongoing attention to these markets, incorporating surveillance of both Internet and traditional storefronts, is crucial as several of the substances identified have demonstrated potential for health and neurological harm. © 2013 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

  9. CHALLENGES IN IDENTIFYING THE NEW-GENERATION PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES

    OpenAIRE

    SALKIM IŞLEK, Dilek; CENGIZ, Salih; RAYIMOĞLU, Gülten; ÇAVUŞ, Fatma; YÜKSELOĞLU, Emel Hülya

    2018-01-01

    A psychoactivesubstance is a substance that affects the central nervous system, alters brainfunctions, and leads to changes in perception, mood and behavior.Apart fromwell-known psychoactive substances, there are some substances callednew-generation psychoactive substances that have risen in recent years. Suchsubstances may be divided into 4 categories: Synthetic cannabinoids, cathinonederivatives, phenylethylamine derivatives, and others including tryptamines,piperazines, hallucinogenic mush...

  10. Perception of health risks among adolescents due to consumption of cigarettes, alcohol and psychoactive substances in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pilav, A; Rudić, A; Branković, S; Djido, V

    2015-07-01

    This article describes the perception of health risks in adolescents due to the consumption of cigarettes, alcohol and psychoactive substances in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBIH), as well as their observation of the behavior of their peers related to addictive behaviors. For the analysis was used a database from the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) survey which was conducted in FBIH in 2011. The target population were students in the second grade of secondary schools in FBIH born in 1995 according to the ESPAD protocol. The total number of respondents from the cohort born in 1995 was 3813 students. The research results showed that the prevalence of risk perception due to the consumption of cigarettes, alcohol and psychoactive substances among adolescents in the FBIH is lower than the mean prevalence in countries which have implemented the ESPAD survey of 2011. PPreventive activities should be aimed at adolescent risk behaviours and empower them to make the right decisions that can have far reaching significance. Attention has to be paid to selective prevention that is directed towards individuals or subgroup of population where the risk of developing disorder is much higher than average. Copyright © 2015 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Sex and age differences in ED patients with mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le Querrec, Fanny; Bounes, Vincent; Mestre, Maryse Lapeyre; Azema, Olivier; Longeaux, Nicolas; Gallart, Jean-Christophe

    2015-11-01

    The objectives of this study are to describe an emergency department (ED) adult population with the chief complaint of mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance use and to investigate sex- and age-related differences. We analyzed data (2009-2011) from the Regional Observatory of Emergency Medicine ORU-MiP (700000 patients per year) for all patients with a primary diagnosis of mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance use. Day data were weighted by the number of days in the year and expressed for 100000 inhabitants of the area. Pearson χ(2) test and Fisher tests were used. The Brown-Mood test was used to compare medians. Of the 1411597 ED visits analyzed, 20838 consults (1.3%) were for primary diagnosis of mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance use. The median age (interquartile range) was 41 (28-51) years; 69.5% were men. More women consulted the ED for sedative or hypnotic use (4.9% vs 1.5%, P consumption (93.5% vs 90%, P psychoactive substance use account for 1.3% of ED visits. Older people should be screened for chronic alcohol consumption. Our findings underscore the opportunity provided by the ED for screening and brief intervention in drug- and alcohol-related problems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. The prevalence and factors affecting psychoactive substance use ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Psychoactive substance use is a proliferating public health and social problem leading to negative multi-dimensional impact especially among young people. This study was done to determine the prevalence and factors predisposing to psychoactive substance use among undergraduates in University of Uyo, ...

  13. Use of psychoactive substances in persons with spinal cord injury: a literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tétrault, M; Courtois, F

    2014-12-01

    To undertake a critical review of literature on use of legal and illegal psychoactive substances (PAS) in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) before and after trauma. Hundred and five articles published between 1980 and 2014 on alcohol and drug use in persons with SCI before and after trauma were retrieved from the PubMed and PsycInfo search engines. Before injury, 25% to 96% of people with SCI reported using alcohol, while 32% to 35% had used illegal drugs. At the time of injury, 31% to 50% of individuals with SCI were intoxicated with alcohol, 16% to 33% with drugs and 26% with a combination of drugs and alcohol. Among those reporting PAS use before injury, up to 50% stated that they had reduced their use during active rehabilitation, during which time only 6% consumed psychoactive substances for the first time. A variety of risk factors are associated with consumption subsequent to spinal cord injury: personality alteration (impulsiveness, aggressiveness), posttraumatic depression, poor coping skills, lack of social support and pain. PAS use can affect the process of rehabilitation, diminish the effectiveness of medication and result in various medical complications. Few studies have explored the use of alcohol, drugs and psychoactive medications before SCI and during active rehabilitation. To our knowledge, no study has analyzed the evolution of PAS use after hospital discharge, even though return home is associated with new stressors that may trigger risky behaviors. It should be a priority, as early as possible during rehabilitation, to detect persons at risk of developing PAS abuse. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  14. [Psychotherapy with Adjuvant use of Serotonergic Psychoactive Substances: Possibilities and Challenges].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majić, Tomislav; Jungaberle, Henrik; Schmidt, Timo T; Zeuch, Andrea; Hermle, Leo; Gallinat, Jürgen

    2017-07-01

    Background  Recently, scientific interest in the therapeutic potential of serotonergic and psilocybin hallucinogens (psychedelics) such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and entactogens like 3,4-methylendioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) within the framework of psychotherapy has resumed. The present article provides an overview on the current evidence on substance-assisted psychotherapy with these substances. Method  A selective search was carried out in the PubMed and Cochrane Library including studies investigating the clinical use of serotonergic psychoactive substances since 2000. Results  Studies were found investigating the following indications: alcohol (LSD and psilocybin) and tobacco addiction (psilocybin), anxiety and depression in patients suffering from life-threatening somatic illness (LSD and psilocybin), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (psilocybin), treatment-resistant major depression (psilocybin), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (MDMA). Discussion  Substance use disorders, PTSD and anxiety and depression in patients suffering from life-threatening somatic illness belong to the indications with the best evidence for substance-assisted psychotherapy with serotonergic psychoactive agents. To date, studies indicate efficacy and relatively good tolerability. Further studies are needed to determine whether these substances may represent suitable and effective treatment options for some treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders in the future. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  15. [General characteristics of psychoactive substances consumption and abuse among high school population].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radovanović, Snezana; Milić, Caslav; Kocić, Sanja

    2010-01-01

    Consumption of psychoactive substances among the youth is suggestive of a trend indicating an accelerated and continual growth of the tendency in question. This research was aimed at investigating the frequency of psychoactive substance consumption among high school students on the territory of the town of Kragujevac so that the adequate measures on prevention could be taken. Data from the questionnaire answered by high school student attending the 1st and 4th grade of the medical, technical and economic high schools in Kragujevac were thereby used. The survey included the overall number of 1280 students: there were 793 (62%) male participants and 487 (38%) female. The research was conducted from October 2007 until January 2008. The questionnaire from the project "Health Status, Health Needs and Utilization of Health Care of the Population of Serbia" conducted by the Institute of Public Health of Serbia "Dr Milan Jovanović Batut" in 2000 was used in the survey. According to the answers, alcohol was used by 45.5%, cigarettes by 20% and drugs by 3.1% of the examined subjects. Following the use of alcohol and cigarettes, the most often used psychoactive substance was cannabis, which was consumed by 7.8% of the examined subjects out of who 9.8% were boys and 4.8% were girls. Since the risky behaviour seems not to be isolated and individual but rather as a combination of several forms of it, school programmes should treat young people before certain forms of behaviour are established. Family, school, health service and society should work on an organized basis as well as methodically on prevention and on fighting against these inadequate habits.

  16. Evaluation of problematic psychoactive substances use in people placed in police custody.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gérardin, Marie; Guigand, Gabriel; Wainstein, Laura; Jolliet, Pascale; Victorri-Vigneau, Caroline; Clément, Renaud

    2017-07-01

    In France, the law states that any person held in custody could be examined by a doctor. The main objective of the medical examination is to give medical evidence of health compatibility with custody. This review identifies health risks such as addictive behaviour. We wanted to know which psychoactive substances are used in this particular population, and how problematic these uses are. A prospective, monocentric, open-ended study conducted via a structured questionnaire was carried out on detainees who reported having taken drugs or illegal substances. Practitioners investigated desired effects for each substance, and characteristics of use, by means of the dependence criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Problematic use was assessed when at least 3 items of the DSM IV were positive. 604 questionnaires were examined. 90.7% of questionnaires reported tobacco use, 76.2% cannabis, 57.3% alcohol, 12.5% psychostimulants, 10.0% opiates and 0.7% benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. The frequency of problematic use was 74.6% for opiates, 44.9% for cocaine and 25.3% for cannabis. Compared to non-problematic users, problematic users were older, more likely to be jobless without financial means, more likely to have a medical history, including a greater likelihood of mental illness, and more chance of undergoing prescribed medical treatment. They included more women and more homeless people. These results show characteristics of psychoactive substance use in a sample of people in custody. Psychoactive substances mentioned by respondents are not different from those observed in the general population, but for certain users, the desired effects are far from the pharmacologically expected ones. For some, taking substances seems to be part of their way of life, for others it is a means to compensate for an underlying feeling of uneasiness. Furthermore, problematic users present severity criteria which

  17. Psychoactive Substance Use among Medical/Health Faculty Undergraduate Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P Whitehorne-Smith

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: This study sought to explore the drug use practices of undergraduate students within the Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. Method: This study was a multicentre study carried out in Jamaica and six Latin American countries. The study utilized a cross-sectional design using a survey method of data collection. A list of compulsory classes for first- and second-year undergraduate students in the Faculty of Medical Sciences was retrieved by researchers and then cluster sampling was used to choose lectures to carry out data collection. The instrument utilized for the study was a self-report questionnaire which consisted of 58 questions which enquired about sociodemographic information, psychoactive substance use and associated consequences. Results: A total of 380 students (78 males, 302 females participated in the study; 115 (30.3% reported a past year prevalence of psychoactive substance use. Roughly half (50.8% reported that they first used substances when they were 15−19 years old. Students also reported a past month prevalence of alcohol use (16.6%, prescription drugs without a prescription (4.5%, tobacco (2.4% and cannabis (2.1% use. Conclusion: These preliminary results on substance use patterns among students in the Faculty of Medical Sciences indicate urgent need for further research among this population. Such research should be used to inform prevention and treatment programmes that will directly target this student population.

  18. [Non-drug psycho-active substance use and pregnancy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Ammouri, A; Sabir, M; Ahid, S; Toufiq, J; El Omari, F

    2015-09-01

    The consumption of psycho-active substances (PAS) by pregnant women is in a growing increase around the world. It is a major problem of public health in some countries due to serious and negative consequences for children and society as well as for pregnant women. This problem has also increased among women in Morocco. However, it is still neglected and underrated in the absence of any official statistical data. This is the first study leading to a better profiling of pregnant women who may consume psycho-active substances during their pregnancy; it would permit better medical and psychosocial care of both women and children. To determine the prevalence and the factors associated with the psycho-active substances used by pregnant women and describe their socio-demographic characteristics. A trans-sectional study was carried out from September to October 2010, including pregnant women consulting at the obstetrical service of the provincial hospital Moulay Abdellah in the city of Salé. The study included women who were pregnant or had recently given birth, and not having any serious mental disorders that could have upset their cognitive abilities. The data was collected through a straight questionnaire of 25 items specifying the socio-demographic characteristics, data about pregnancy and habits of using psycho-active substances. One hundred and fifty pregnant women were included in the study. The majority of them (83.2%) were aged 20 to 40 years old, 94.6% were married, 96% were unemployed and depended on their spouses for their financial resources and 80% had normal domestic relationships (from average to good quality). Among the women, 31.3% of them reported traumatic events in the past. The prevalence of psycho-active substance consumption by the pregnant women of our sample was 11.3%. The used substances were tobacco (9.3%) and cannabis (4%). These women were more likely to have a low level of education (47.1 vs 16.5). They were victims of abuse or neglect in

  19. [Prevalence and predictors of psychoactive substance use among men in prisons].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caravaca-Sánchez, Francisco; Falcón Romero, María; Luna, Aurelio

    2015-01-01

    The use of psychoactive substances among the prison population is an important public health issue because of its magnitude and health consequences. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of psychoactive substance use among the prison population and to analyse its association with sociodemographic and penitentiary factors, particularly the size of the prison. Data were gathered using a self-administered questionnaire among 2,484 random male inmates in eight prisons of different sizes in Spain. The prevalence of psychoactive substance use with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) during the last 6 months in prison were estimated. Prevalence ratios were used to estimate the association between psychoactive substance use and sociodemographic and penitentiary characteristics. The prevalence of psychoactive substance use in the past 6 months in prison was 59.9% (95% CI: 57.9-62.0). Notable among the sociodemographic variables associated with substance use were drug consumption prior to imprisonment (6.90; 95% CI: 5.51-8.65) and recidivism in prison (2.41; 95% CI: 2.04-2.85). The largest prisons showed a higher frequency of drug use than other prisons. A high prevalence of psychoactive substance use was found in prisons and significant differences were found according to delinquent profile and the size of the prison. Copyright © 2015 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  20. Symbolism and rationality in the politics of psychoactive substances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Room, Robin

    2005-01-01

    Psychoactive substances take on many symbolic meanings, and thus the politics of psychoactive substances has featured symbolic elements, or value-based rationality, alongside and often dominating instrumental rationality. Drawing particularly on the work of Joseph Gusfield and Nordic scholars, the chapter considers the symbolic dimension in the politics of substance use, even in Nordic countries celebrated for their societal commitment to knowledge-based policymaking, and its effects on the interplay of science and policy.

  1. [Use of psychoactive substances and contraceptive methods by the Brazilian urban population, 2005].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bastos, Francisco I; Cunha, Cynthia B; Bertoni, Neilane

    2008-06-01

    To analyze the relationship between utilization patterns for condoms and other contraceptive methods and the consumption of alcohol and drugs. Exploratory study based on data from a probabilistic sample of 5,040 interviewees aged 16 to 65 years living in large urban regions of Brazil in 2005. The data were collected by means of questionnaires. The chi-square automatic interaction classification tree technique was used to study the use of condoms among interviewees of both sexes and other contraceptive methods among women, at the time of the last vaginal sexual intercourse. Among young and middle-aged adults of both sexes and young men in stable relationships, condom use was less frequent among those who said they used psychoactive substances (alcohol and/or illegal drugs). The possible modulating effect of psychoactive substances on contraceptive practices among mature women seems to be more straightforward, compared to the more subtle effects observed among younger women, for whom the different social classes they belonged to seemed to play a more important role. Despite the limitations resulting from an exploratory study, the fact that this was a representative sample of the urban population of Brazil and not from vulnerable populations, reinforces the need to implement integrated public policies directed towards the general population, with regard to preventing drug consumption, alcohol abuse, sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancy and promoting sexual and reproductive health.

  2. Psychoactive Substance use among People living with HIV/AIDS in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: There is a wide opinion on pattern of use of psychoactive substances especially parenteral psychoactive substances which have been indicted as one of the major mode of transmission of HIV among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in the western world. However, there is regional variability especially in ...

  3. [Designer drugs and caffeine - characteristics of psychoactive substances and their impact on the organism].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wierzejska, Regina

    2014-01-01

    For many teenagers the time of growing up is a period of trying prohibited substances. Nowadays apart from alcohol and tobacco new designed, psychoactive substances known as "smart drugs" or "legal highs" are available. Intensive development of their market is taking place in the last few years which is difficult to overcome by regulations only. Toxicological tests used now are not able to detect the presence of many such substances in the body. Designer drugs cause the interest of young people even from small towns and many times taking them give effects requiring medical help. Caffeine is also a psychoactive substance but depending on the dose it can have positive or detrimental effect. Recently there are more and more products with caffeine, especially drinks and dietary supplements, what can cause the increase of consumption of caffeine. Children are particularly exposed to the adverse effect of high consumption of caffeine because of their small body weight and development of the central nervous system. This article presents actual data about the market of designer drugs, frequency of using them, consumption of caffeine by children and teenagers and about the impact of these substances on the organism.

  4. [Risk and protection factors related to the consumption of psychoactive substances in undergraduate nursing students].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morales, Blanca Nivia; Plazas, Merideidy; Sanchez, Rafael; Ventura, Carla Aparecida Arena

    2011-06-01

    This study aims to identify the frequency of risk and protection factors related to drug consumption among undergraduate nursing students. It is a cross-sectional study in which authors applied the instrument Risk and Protection Factors for the Consumption of Psychoactive Substances, validated for use with undergraduate nursing students. Data were analyzed through STATA 10. Three hundred and ninety students participated in the study. The domain "prejudice and appraisal", "social permissiveness and access to psychoactive substances", "social skills and self-control" are risk factors for drugs use in 100% of participants. "Spirituality" and "satisfaction with interpersonal relations" were predominant protective domains. Based on data, authors can conclude that the students did not consider the risks in alcohol and tobacco consumption, as they think it is normal and socially acceptable.

  5. Psychoactive substances use and associated factors among middle and high school students in the North Center of Morocco: a cross-sectional questionnaire survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarrouq, B; Bendaou, B; El Asri, A; Achour, S; Rammouz, I; Aalouane, R; Lyoussi, B; Khelafa, S; Bout, A; Berhili, N; Hlal, H; Najdi, A; Nejjari, C; El Rhazi, K

    2016-06-04

    Data on psychoactive substance (PAS) consumption among adolescents in the North Center of Morocco are not at all available. Therefore, the current study aimed at investigating the prevalence and the determinants of psychoactive substances use among middle and high school students in this region. A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2012 to November 2013 in public middle and high schools in the North Central Region of Morocco. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was used to assess psychoactive substances use among a representative sample of school students from the 7th to the 12th grade, aged 11-23 years, selected by stratified cluster random sampling. Factors associated with psychoactive substance use were identified using multivariate stepwise logistic regression analyses. A total of 3020 school students completed the questionnaires, 53.0 % of which were males. The overall lifetime smoking prevalence was 16.1 %. The lifetime, annual and past month rates of any psychoactive substance use among the study subjects were 9.3, 7.5, and 6.3 % respectively. Cannabis recorded the highest lifetime prevalence of 8.1 %, followed by alcohol 4.3 %, inhalants 1.7 %, psychotropic substances without medical prescription 1.0, cocaine 0.7, heroine 0.3, and amphetamine with only 0.2 %. Psychoactive substance use was associated with males more than females. The risk factors identified by multivariate stepwise logistic regression analyses were being male, studying in secondary school level, smoking tobacco, living with a family member who uses tobacco, and feeling insecure within the family. The prevalence among all school students reported by the current study was comparable to the national prevalence. Efforts to initiate psychoactive substance prevention programs among school students should be made by designing such programs based on the significant factors associated with psychoactive substance use identified in this study.

  6. prevalence of psychoactive substance use among commercial

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Emmanuel Ameh

    characteristics, factors influencing psychoactive substance use, impact on health status, motor cycle ... There is need for public awareness campaigns on road safety education and health .... sense of judgement, vision, emotional stability.

  7. Quality of life of users of psychoactive substances, relatives, and non-users assessed using the WHOQOL-BREF

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taís de Campos Moreira

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Quality of life is related to one of the basic human desires, which is to live well and feel good. The scope of this study was to evaluate the quality of life of psychoactive substance users and relatives, compared to non-users, analyzed by socioeconomic strata. A cross-sectional study with users of psychoactive substances, relatives, and other individuals who called the Information and Orientation Service regarding drug abuse. Data collection took place between November 2009 and December 2010. Data was collected from users, relatives, and non-users, including socioeconomic characteristics and data regarding substance consumption when appropriate. In addition to this the abbreviated version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire was given to 347 individuals. Among the 138 users (70% used alcohol, 76 (39%, marijuana, 111 (57% tobacco, 78 (40% cocaine and 70 (36% crack. Control subjects had higher, scores than the relatives of users and users in all areas of the questionnaire (p < 0.05. Psychoactive substance users scored lower in almost all domains and overall score in the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire in comparison with the sample of non-drug users. These findings reflect poor quality of life of patients and their relatives.

  8. Spiced: The Global Marketing of Psychoactive Substances

    OpenAIRE

    Graham, John

    2016-01-01

    Graham hopes to expose marketing’s role in sustaining our addiction to sugar, tobacco, and other psychoactive substances and to then inspire a discussion of strategies for reining in that marketing. 

  9. Psychoactive substances use and associated factors among middle and high school students in the North Center of Morocco: a cross-sectional questionnaire survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Zarrouq

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Data on psychoactive substance (PAS consumption among adolescents in the North Center of Morocco are not at all available. Therefore, the current study aimed at investigating the prevalence and the determinants of psychoactive substances use among middle and high school students in this region. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2012 to November 2013 in public middle and high schools in the North Central Region of Morocco. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was used to assess psychoactive substances use among a representative sample of school students from the 7th to the 12th grade, aged 11–23 years, selected by stratified cluster random sampling. Factors associated with psychoactive substance use were identified using multivariate stepwise logistic regression analyses. Results A total of 3020 school students completed the questionnaires, 53.0 % of which were males. The overall lifetime smoking prevalence was 16.1 %. The lifetime, annual and past month rates of any psychoactive substance use among the study subjects were 9.3, 7.5, and 6.3 % respectively. Cannabis recorded the highest lifetime prevalence of 8.1 %, followed by alcohol 4.3 %, inhalants 1.7 %, psychotropic substances without medical prescription 1.0, cocaine 0.7, heroine 0.3, and amphetamine with only 0.2 %. Psychoactive substance use was associated with males more than females. The risk factors identified by multivariate stepwise logistic regression analyses were being male, studying in secondary school level, smoking tobacco, living with a family member who uses tobacco, and feeling insecure within the family. Conclusions The prevalence among all school students reported by the current study was comparable to the national prevalence. Efforts to initiate psychoactive substance prevention programs among school students should be made by designing such programs based on the significant factors associated with psychoactive

  10. Monitoring risk behaviour in adolescent pupils regarding consumption of psychoactive substances

    OpenAIRE

    Paulina Wojtyła-Buciora; Aneta Klimberg; Lucyna Kapka-Skrzypczak; Jarosław Diatczyk; Monika Urbaniak; Ewa Ulatowska-Szostak; Tomasz Bołdowski; Andrzej Wojtyła; Jerzy T Marcinkowski

    2017-01-01

    Introduction Taking psychoactive substances constitutes a significant problem for Public Health, particularly in preventing drug abuse and addiction. Objectives To estimate the amount and incidence of drug consumption in middle and high school pupils, including the circumstances in which drug taking first started, and to determine pupils’ knowledge about the consequences of taking psychoactive substances and designer drugs (DDs). Material and Methods A randomised study was co...

  11. Correlates of psychoactive substance use among Nigerian adolescents

    OpenAIRE

    Oluyemi O Akanni; Ehigiator O Adayonfo

    2015-01-01

    Context: The abuse of psychoactive substances which is one of the most important global public health problems begins in adolescence. Adolescents usually start by abusing the gateway substances. They suffer social, economic, physical, and legal consequences on account of use of substances, and this is very worrisome because of the increasing prevalence of use. Aims: The aim was to identify the characteristics of adolescents that use gateway substances. This knowledge shall be utilized in prev...

  12. Socio-demographic factors and substance use in adolescence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marić Mia

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The emergence of risky behavior is characteristic in adolescence. Of all forms of risky behavior in adolescence, the use of psychoactive substances - cigarettes, alcohol and illegal psychoactive substances particularly stand out, because of the frequency and degree of prevalence of use, and because of the impact that they have on youth development in this sensitive stage of growing up. Unfortunately, today we are witnessing the fact that such behavior in adolescents has gained an increasingly epidemic character mainly due to the characteristics of the social context in which young people are growing up. The main objective of this research, conducted in the framework of the doctoral dissertation of the author, was determining relations between relevant sociodemographic factors: gender, age, school success, financial status and place of residence of respondents, with the appearance and intensity of use of three types of psychoactive substances - cigarettes, alcohol and illegal psychoactive substances among the general population of adolescents. The sample represents non-clinical young population, and it consists of 529 adolescents, students of the 2nd and 4th class of secondary school (17 and 18 years old. The data was collected by using Scale use of PAS (psychoactive substances in adolescents, which was designed for the purpose of this research, as well as using a set of questions intended for the registration of socio-demographic variables. Respondents filled in questionnaires in groups, during the school lessons. The data show a relationship between the three studied socio-demographic variables with the occurrence and degree of use of psychoactive substances in the adolescence period, such as gender, age and school success of the respondents. As regards gender of respondents associated with the occurrence and degree of alcohol and illegal substance use in adolescents, male adolescents more likely use alcohol and illegal psychoactive substances

  13. Legal high industry business and lobbying strategies under a legal market for new psychoactive substances (NPS, 'legal highs') in New Zealand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rychert, Marta; Wilkins, Chris

    2016-11-01

    The establishment of a regulated legal market for new psychoactive substances (NPS, 'legal highs') under New Zealand's Psychoactive Substances Act (PSA) 2013 created a new commercial sector for psychoactive products, previously limited to alcohol and tobacco. To explore how the newly-recognised 'legal high' industry (LHI) viewed and responded to the changing regulatory and market environment. In-depth interviews with six key informants (KI) from the LHI: a leading entrepreneur, chemist, industry spokesperson, retailer, product buyer and a researcher commissioned by the LHI - were conducted, transcribed and analysed thematically. Formative work for the study included review of official LHI documents (websites, public submissions, self-regulation documents). The LHI stakeholders espoused an idealistic mission of shifting recreational users of alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs towards "safer alternatives". Passage of the PSA was viewed as a success after years of lobbying led by pioneering LHI actors. The growth and professionalisation of the LHI resulted in an increasingly commercial market which challenged idealistic views of the original operators. LHI KI reported the targeting of young and low income customers, price cutting and increasing the strength of products as business strategies. Attempts by the LHI to self-regulate did not prevent escalation in the strength of products and fall in retail prices. The LHI reported outsourcing of manufacturing and exporting of their products to other countries, demonstrating an international business model. There was a tension between profit and idealistic motivations within the LHI and this increased as the sector became more commercialised. While the LHI distanced itself from both alcohol and tobacco, they reported the use of similar marketing, business and political lobbying strategies. Rules for engagement with new 'addictive consumption industries' are required to clarify the role they are permitted to play in the

  14. Running away experience and psychoactive substance use among adolescents in Taiwan: multi-city street outreach survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shi-Heng; Chen, Wen-Chun; Lew-Ting, Chih-Yin; Chen, Chuan-Yu; Chen, Wei J

    2010-01-20

    This study aimed to examine: 1) the relationship between being a runaway and the time since the first absconding event and adolescent substance use; 2) whether different kinds of psychoactive substances have a different temporal relationship to the first absconding event; and 3) whether the various reasons for the first absconding event are associated with different risks of substance use. Participants were drawn from the 2004-2006 nationwide outreach programs across 26 cities/towns in Taiwan. A total of 17,133 participants, age 12-18 years, who completed an anonymous questionnaire on their experience of running away and substances use and who were now living with their families, were included in the analysis. The lifetime risk of tobacco, alcohol, betel nut, and illegal drug/inhalant use increased steadily from adolescents who had experienced a trial runaway episode (one time lasting or= 2 times or lasting > 1 day), when compared to those who had never ran away. Adolescents who had their first running away experience > 6 months previously had a greater risk of betel nut or illegal drug/inhalant use over the past 6-months than those with a similar experience within the last 6 months. Both alcohol and tobacco use were most frequently initiated before the first running away, whereas both betel nut and illegal drug/inhalant use were most frequently initiated after this event. When adolescents who were fleeing an unsatisfactory home life were compared to those who ran away for excitement, the risk of alcohol use was similar but the former tended to have a higher risk of tobacco, betel nut, and illegal drug/inhalant use. More significant running away and a longer time since the first absconding experience were associated with more advanced substance involvement among adolescents now living in a family setting. Once adolescents had left home, they developed additional psychoactive substance problems, regardless of their reasons for running away. These findings have

  15. Wide-range screening of psychoactive substances by FIA-HRMS: identification strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alechaga, Élida; Moyano, Encarnación; Galceran, Maria Teresa

    2015-06-01

    Recreational drugs (illicit drugs, human and veterinary medicines, legal highs, etc.) often contain lacing agents and adulterants which are not related to the main active ingredient. Serious side effects and even the death of the consumer have been related to the consumption of mixtures of psychoactive substances and/or adulterants, so it is important to know the actual composition of recreational drugs. In this work, a method based on flow injection analysis (FIA) coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) is proposed for the fast identification of psychoactive substances in recreational drugs and legal highs. The FIA and HRMS working conditions were optimized in order to detect a wide range of psychoactive compounds. As most of the psychoactive substances are acid-base compounds, methanol-0.1 % aqueous formic acid (1:1 v/v) as a carrier solvent and electrospray in both positive ion mode and negative ion mode were used. Two data acquisition modes, full scan at high mass resolution (HRMS) and data-dependent tandem mass spectrometry (ddMS/HRMS) with a quadrupole-Orbitrap mass analyzer were used, resulting in sufficient selectivity for identification of the components of the samples. A custom-made database containing over 450 substances, including psychoactive compounds and common adulterants, was built to perform a high-throughput target and suspect screening. Moreover, online accurate mass databases and mass fragmenter software were used to identify unknowns. Some examples, selected among the analyzed samples of recreational drugs and legal highs using the FIA-HRMS(ddMS/HRMS) method developed, are discussed to illustrate the screening strategy used in this study. The results showed that many of the analyzed samples were adulterated, and in some cases the sample composition did not match that of the supposed marketed substance.

  16. The Prevalence and Factors affecting Psychoactive Substance Use ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    UNIBEN

    Background: Psychoactive substance use is a proliferating public health and social problem leading to negative ... cannabis and 12.2% for cigarettes.8 In Nigeria, the most common ... and amphetamines such as caffeine, tobacco, nicotine ...

  17. [Factors Related With Psychoactive Substance Use in an Educational Institution in Jamundí Valle, Colombia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Espinosa Soto, Katalina; Hernández Carrillo, Mauricio; Cassiani, Carlos Arturo; Cubides Munevar, Ángela M; Martínez Cardona, María del Carmen

    2016-01-01

    To estimate the prevalence of psychoactive substances (SPA) use in young people in an educational institution in Jamundí and possible related factors. Cross-sectional study, analytical approach that simulates cases and controls, was conducted in an educational institution in Jamundí-Valley. The sample was composed of 146 students selected through simple random probability sampling without replacement. Participants individually and anonymously completed a questionnaire to identify SPA consumption and associated factors, including APGAR scale to measure family functioning. The data extracted from the questionnaires were entered into a matrix in Microsoft Excel and processed in EpiInfo version 5.0 and Stata. Descriptive analysis was performed, and a multivariate analysis was performed using unconditional logistic regression. Current consumption of SPA, 35%; age of first use was 10 to 13 years; the prevalence of drug misuse by gender was 34% for girls and 37% in boys. The most consumed legal substance was alcohol 34%, and illegal 3%. The most significant associations with the use of psychoactive substances was; having severe family dysfunction (OR=7.32; 95%CI, 1.74-30.76), being enrolled in the 11th grade (OR=14.6; 95%CI, 2.37-89.74), and having friends who use (OR=3.12; 95%CI, 2.49-10.38). The results obtained in this study show a high percentage of SPA consumption, with a higher prevalence in males. In this population, the most commonly used legal substance is alcohol. Family dysfunction and school grade were significantly associated with drug misuse. Copyright © 2015 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  18. Separation of enantiomers of new psychoactive substances by high-performance liquid chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadkhodaei, Kian; Forcher, Lisa; Schmid, Martin G

    2018-03-01

    New psychoactive substances are defined as compounds with consciousness-changing effects and have been developed simultaneously with classical drugs. They arise through structural modifications of illegal substances and are mainly produced to circumvent laws. Availability is simple, since new psychoactive substances can be purchased from the Internet. Among them many chemical drug compound classes are chiral and thus the two resulting enantiomers can differ in their effects. The aim of this study is to develop a suitable chiral high-performance liquid chromatography separation method for a broad spectrum of new psychoactive substances using cellulose tris(3,5-dichlorophenylcarbamate) as a chiral selector. Experiments were performed by high-performance liquid chromatography in normal-phase mode under isocratic conditions using ultraviolet detection. Direct separation was carried out on a high-performance liquid chromatography column (Lux® i-Cellulose-5, 3.5 μm, Phenomenex®), available since 2016. Excellent separation results were obtained for cathinones. After further optimization, even 47 instead of 39 out of 52 cathinones showed baseline separation. For amphetamine derivatives, satisfactory results were not achieved. Further, new psychoactive substances from other compound classes such as benzofuranes, thiophenes, phenidines, phenidates, morpholines, and ketamines were partially resolved, depending on the polarity and degree of substitution. All analytes, which were mainly purchased from the Internet, were proven to be traded as racemates. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Use Of Psychoactive Drugs Among Medical Undergraduates In Abbottabad.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nawaz, Haq; Khan, Aftab Alam; Bukhari, Saima

    2017-01-01

    Psychoactive substance abuse is prevalent among medical undergraduates of Pakistan, India & Western countries which can adversely affect the physical & psychological grooming of a medical undergraduate thus threatening to compromise their role as future physicians & health-care providers in the society. The objective of the present cross-sectional study was to explore the prevalence and patterns of psychoactive substance/drug consumption among undergraduate students of a public sector medical college in Abbottabad. Seven hundred and eighty participants after informed consent were requested to fill a questionnaire seeking information about their demographics, patterns & behaviours regarding ten common psychoactive substances of abuse including (Cigarettes, Benzodiazepines, naswar, cannabis, alcohol, amphetamine, opium, cocaine, heroin & organic solvents). Overall students who responded were 698 (89.48%). One hundred and fifty (21.49%) admitted to the use of a psychoactive substance in past or at present. Majority users (71.33%) were males. Overall (81.33%) users were living in hostel or a rented apartment. Substance abuse was more prevalent among senior students, i.e., 30.06% & 24.24% in 4th year & final year MBBS respectively. Majority of the consumers, i.e., 93 (62%) were falling in an age group between 15-20 years. Main reasons behind substance abuse were: psychological stress (49.33%) and pleasure seeking (42.67%). Substances/drugs used by students in order of preference were Cigarettes 115 (76.67%), Benzodiazepines 48 (32%), naswar 42 (28%), Cannabis 41 (27.33%), Alcohol 24 (16%), Amphetamine 22 (14.67%), Opium 15 (10%), Cocaine 14 (9.33%), Heroin 11 (7.33%) & Organic solvents 05 (3.33%). Use of more than one substance was observed in 70 (46.67%) students. It is concluded that prevalence of cigarette smoking, naswar, benzodiazepines, cannabis & alcohol is high among medical undergraduates in Abbottabad which is a matter of concern. Efforts are needed to create

  20. Running away experience and psychoactive substance use among adolescents in Taiwan: multi-city street outreach survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lew-Ting Chih-Yin

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This study aimed to examine: 1 the relationship between being a runaway and the time since the first absconding event and adolescent substance use; 2 whether different kinds of psychoactive substances have a different temporal relationship to the first absconding event; and 3 whether the various reasons for the first absconding event are associated with different risks of substance use. Methods Participants were drawn from the 2004-2006 nationwide outreach programs across 26 cities/towns in Taiwan. A total of 17,133 participants, age 12-18 years, who completed an anonymous questionnaire on their experience of running away and substances use and who were now living with their families, were included in the analysis. Results The lifetime risk of tobacco, alcohol, betel nut, and illegal drug/inhalant use increased steadily from adolescents who had experienced a trial runaway episode (one time lasting ≤ 1 day, to those with extended runaway experience (≥ 2 times or lasting > 1 day, when compared to those who had never ran away. Adolescents who had their first running away experience > 6 months previously had a greater risk of betel nut or illegal drug/inhalant use over the past 6-months than those with a similar experience within the last 6 months. Both alcohol and tobacco use were most frequently initiated before the first running away, whereas both betel nut and illegal drug/inhalant use were most frequently initiated after this event. When adolescents who were fleeing an unsatisfactory home life were compared to those who ran away for excitement, the risk of alcohol use was similar but the former tended to have a higher risk of tobacco, betel nut, and illegal drug/inhalant use. Conclusions More significant running away and a longer time since the first absconding experience were associated with more advanced substance involvement among adolescents now living in a family setting. Once adolescents had left home, they

  1. Familial Risk Analysis of the Association between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Psychoactive Substance Use Disorder in Female Adolescents: A Controlled Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biederman, Joseph; Petty, Carter R.; Monuteaux, Michael C.; Mick, Eric; Clarke, Allison; Ten Haagen, Kristina; Faraone, Stephen V.

    2009-01-01

    Background: A robust and bi-directional comorbidity between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and psychoactive substance use disorder (PSUD, alcohol or drug abuse, or dependence) has been consistently reported in the literature. However, this literature has been based almost exclusively on male only samples and, therefore, the…

  2. [Emergence of novel psychoactive substances among clients of a needle exchange program in Budapest, Hungary].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rácz, József; Csák, Róbert

    2014-08-31

    In this paper the authors summarize experience of a drug service provider with the injecting use of novel psychoactive substances. Among clients of the needle exchange programme of Blue Point Drug Counselling and Outpatient Centre, the authors observed the spread of the novel substances since 2009. The extensive spread of the novel substances caused substantial change in injecting use patterns, thus in the usage of the needle exchange programme. The novel psychoactive substances appeared consecutively, so that this setting gave a unique opportunity to observe and track the emergence of these substances. The authors summarize the characteristics which are important for medical practice (risks, frequent use, severe psychopathological conditions) as well as special risks associated with these substances (substances with unknown composition and effect). They highlight the importance and role of the early warning system, monitoring the online sources of information and testing of samples containing novel psychoactive substances.

  3. Culture of Prevention of Consumption of Psychoactive Substances (pas in the Family

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Eugenia Agudelo Bedoya

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available The article presents the findings of a study on “Family Typology and Dynamics and their relation to the consumption of Psychoactive Substances in Children and Adolescents of the Private Schools in Medellín”. Likewise, it reviews the research carried out in Colombia and abroad on the relations among a family environment characterized by difficulties and gaps in communication, family cohesion, the exercise of authority, and the consumption of illegal psychoactive substances in children and adolescents.

  4. The Growing Problem of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madras, Bertha K

    The term "new psychoactive substances" (NPS) can be defined as individual drugs in pure form or in complex preparations that are not scheduled under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961) or the Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971). NPS may be categorized by chemical structure, by psychoactive properties, by biological targets, or by source (plant, synthetic, or combined). The emergence of hundreds of NPS in the past decade is challenging for public health and drug policies globally. The novelty of NPS, their ambiguous legal status, ability to evade toxicological tests, swift adaptation to legal restrictions, global Internet marketing, and scant public knowledge of their adverse effects are among the key drivers of this twenty-first century phenomenon. Multi-disciplinary research in areas of biology, epidemiology, prevention, and web analytics are needed to develop effective responses in a domain capable of overwhelming current international conventions and national drug control policies. Ultimately, research-guided prevention education will fortify societies against this tidal wave.

  5. The adherence to UK legislation by online shops selling new psychoactive substances

    OpenAIRE

    Wadsworth, Elle; Drummond, Colin; Deluca, Paolo

    2017-01-01

    Aims: On the 26th of May 2016, the UK Government introduced the Psychoactive Substances Act, 2016. The aim of this short report is to explore online shops selling New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) stated motivations for closing and the changes that arose preceding the ban. Methods: The search for online shops selling NPS was made throughout October 2015. From March to June 2016, data were collected on the status of the online shops, and whether they mentioned the ban, the delay, or their clos...

  6. The use of psychoactive prescription drugs among DUI suspects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karjalainen, Karoliina; Haukka, Jari; Lintonen, Tomi; Joukamaa, Matti; Lillsunde, Pirjo

    2015-10-01

    The study seeks to increase understanding of the use of psychoactive prescription drugs among persons suspected of driving under the influence (DUI). We studied whether the use of prescribed psychoactive medication was associated with DUI, and examined the difference in the use of prescription drugs between DUI recidivists and those arrested only once. In this register-based study, persons suspected of DUI (n=29470) were drawn from the Register of DUI suspects, and an age- and gender-matched reference population (n=30043) was drawn from the Finnish general population. Data on prescription drug use was obtained by linkage to the National Prescription Register. The associations of DUI arrest and use of psychoactive prescription drugs in different DUI groups (findings for alcohol only, prescription drugs, prescription drugs and alcohol, illicit drugs) were estimated by using mixed-effect logistic regression. The use of psychoactive prescription drugs and DUI appeared to be strongly associated, with DUI suspects significantly more likely to use psychoactive prescription drugs compared to the reference population. Gender differences existed, with the use of benzodiazepines being more common among female DUI suspects. Moreover, DUI recidivists were more likely to use psychoactive prescription drugs compared to those arrested only once. In addition to alcohol and/or illicit drug use, a significant proportion of DUI suspects were using psychoactive prescription drugs. When prescribing psychoactive medication, especially benzodiazepines, physicians are challenged to screen for possible substance use problems and also to monitor for patients' alcohol or illicit drug use while being medicated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Epidemiological aspects of illicit psychoactive substance dependents the interned in psychiatric institution of Criciúma-SC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zunei Votri

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The research is about a descriptive study of quantitative boarding, developed in October of 2008 in the Psychiatric Hospital of the city of Criciúma-SC, with the objective to identify to the aspects epidemiologists of the illicit psychoactive substance dependents. The specific objectives of the study had been: to identify illicit psychoactive substance dependents interned through handbooks of the institution; to inquire the number of psychiatric readmissions in the studied population; to identify the types of more common illicit psychoactive substances, To identify to aspects epidemiologists of the psychoactive substance dependents from dependent 0 variable: sex, age, age group, level of instruction, race, civil state, number of children, religion, profession and origin; e changeable independent: type of used substance, time of use, number of internments and clinical patology associates. The interest for the research subject appeared from the comment in field of work for presenting great number of patients interned for abuse or dependence of psychoactive substances and its social repercussion. 193 handbooks had been inquired, being that 13 had been identified with illicit psychoactive substance diagnosis in the period of the collection of data, having the prevalence in the masculine sex (9, of the white race (11, the majority single (7, with a young age group, on average 35 years. The majority interned involuntarily (8 and the number of readmissions was equivalent 50% of patients and others 50% having its first internment. How much to the types of used illicit psychoactive substances more, the most cited they had been marijuana (20%, crack (17% and cocaine (17%. The half of the sample almost possess clinical illnesses associates, as cardiopathy, diabetes, hepatitis C, arterial hypertension and HIV (Virus of the Immunodeficiency Human being. From these results one sees it importance of clarification and organization of preventive programs in

  8. Uso de substâncias psicoativas entre estudantes de Medicina de Salvador (BA Psychoactive substance use by medical students from Salvador (BA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kleuber Moreira Lemos

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available CONTEXTO: Estudos indicam que estudantes de Medicina, apesar do seu dedutível conhecimento sobre os efeitos das substâncias psicoativas, consomem-nas em proporção semelhante à dos jovens de mesma idade na população geral. OBJETIVO: Analisar o padrão local do consumo dessas substâncias entre graduandos de Medicina e contribuir na formulação de atividades preventivas. MÉTODOS: Aplicação de questionário semi-estruturado no qual foi avaliada a freqüência de uso das substâncias psicoativas entre os estudantes, assim como as principais razões apontadas para o consumo. Foram analisados 404 questionários obtidos entre alunos dos seis anos de curso das duas maiores escolas médicas de Salvador. RESULTADOS: As drogas mais utilizadas no critério uso na vida foram álcool (92,8% e lança-perfume (46,2%. O uso de álcool apresentou-se constante nos seis anos de curso. Entretanto, o uso de tabaco, lança-perfume e tranqüilizantes aumentou significativamente para os alunos dos últimos anos (p BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that medical students consume psychoactive substances at the same rates as the same age youth on general population, despite their predictable knowledge about drugs effects. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the local pattern of psychoactive substances use among medical students and contribute for the formulation of preventive activities. METHODS: The frequency of psychoactive substances use was evaluated by a self-administered anonymous questionnaire that also asked the main reasons for that use. Four hundred and four students in the first to sixth year from the two biggest medical schools in Salvador answered the questionnaire. RESULTS: The lifetime use was bigger for alcohol (92.8% and inhalant (46.2%. Alcohol use was constant for the students from first to sixth year of course, but it was not statistically significant (p > 0.05. However, tobacco, inhalants and tranquilizers use had a significant increase at the last two years

  9. Prevalence of tobacco, alcohol and psychoactive drug use among the college students in Chitwan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manohar Pradhan

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Background & Objectives:Students of colleges may be vulnerable to consume tobacco, alcohol and psychoactive drugs due to various factors. This study was conducted with objectives of determining the prevalence of smoking, alcohol and psychoactive drug use among the bachelor level college students of Chitwan.Materials & Methods:This is a descriptive cross sectional study among the 132 bachelor level students at various colleges of Bharatpur, Chitwan district of Nepal. The students were chosen by purposive sampling. A standard pre tested questionnaire was used to collect the data.Results:A total of 90 (68.2% were males and 42 (31.8% were females. The mean age was 22.2 ± 1.7 years. Seventy four (56.06% responded that they had never consumed tobacco in any form.The number of cigarette smoked ranged from one to 20, with a mean of 7.85± 4.94 years. Forty eight (36.36% never consumed alcohol and (87.87% had never used psychoactive drugs.The most common motivator of the use of smoking, tobacco and psychoactive drugs was curiosity.Conclusion:The prevalence of smoking among the bachelor level students participating in our study was 43.94%, alcohol consumption was 63.63% and psychoactive drugs use was 12.12%. 

  10. The nicotine dependence associated with alcohol use and other psychoactive substance A dependência da nicotina associada ao uso de álcool e outras substâncias psicoativas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafaela Serra Bacchi

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available To examine an association between nicotine dependence with alcohol, other psychoactive use, and depressive disorder. Smokers were recruited from Centro de Referência de Abordagem e Tratamento do Tabagismo at the Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Estadual de Londrina (AHC/ UEL. All subjects were informed and gave then written consent for the research as approved by the Ethics Research Committee of Universidade Estadual de Londrina. The measures used were: structured questionnaire, alcohol, smoking, and psychoactive substance involvement screening test (ASSIST v 3.0, the Fagerström test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND, and the Diagnostic Interview for Research on Depressive disorder of the World Health Organization. Smokers presented the following socio-demographic characteristics: prevalence of the female sex and mean age of 47 years old with capacity for domestic activities and work. The mean age of onset of cigarette use for smokers was 16 years old. Fagerström’s test presented a medium punctuation of 6, so much for users of substances psicoativas, as for the ones that they don’t use them. Relationship between serious depression and the of psychoactive substances use was relevant for the research. This study evidenced an association among the use of the tobacco and other psychoactive substances, and depressive disorder. The health professional in smoking cessation intervention would be to identify subgroups of adult smokers, associated with depression, psychoactive substance use, and promote an intervention in both comorbidities and larger effectiveness of the smoking cessation. Analisar a associação entre a dependência de nicotina com o uso de álcool, outras substâncias psicoativas e transtorno depressivo. Os tabagistas foram recrutados a partir do Centro de Referência de Abordagem e Tratamento do Tabagismo no Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Estadual de Londrina (AHC/UEL. Todos os participantes foram informados e

  11. Herb-drug interactions among commonly used psychoactive substances by healthcare students

    OpenAIRE

    Coelho, André; Caetano, Liliana Aranha

    2014-01-01

    The concurrent use of herbs and/or nutritional supplements with psychoactive effect and prescription medications is common among college students. College students are a particularly vulnerable population, for they are under less social/familiar surveillance and seek greater independence, as well as under greater intellectual effort, stress, anxiety and depression, which predispose them to a higher consumption of psychoactive substances. Herbs, vitamins, and other dietary supplements may infl...

  12. Substituting cannabis for prescription drugs, alcohol and other substances among medical cannabis patients: The impact of contextual factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucas, Philippe; Walsh, Zach; Crosby, Kim; Callaway, Robert; Belle-Isle, Lynne; Kay, Robert; Capler, Rielle; Holtzman, Susan

    2016-05-01

    Recent years have witnessed increased attention to how cannabis use impacts the use of other psychoactive substances. The present study examines the use of cannabis as a substitute for alcohol, illicit substances and prescription drugs among 473 adults who use cannabis for therapeutic purposes. The Cannabis Access for Medical Purposes Survey is a 414-question cross-sectional survey that was available to Canadian medical cannabis patients online and by hard copy in 2011 and 2012 to gather information on patient demographics, medical conditions and symptoms, patterns of medical cannabis use, cannabis substitution and barriers to access to medical cannabis. Substituting cannabis for one or more of alcohol, illicit drugs or prescription drugs was reported by 87% (n = 410) of respondents, with 80.3% reporting substitution for prescription drugs, 51.7% for alcohol, and 32.6% for illicit substances. Respondents who reported substituting cannabis for prescription drugs were more likely to report difficulty affording sufficient quantities of cannabis, and patients under 40 years of age were more likely to substitute cannabis for all three classes of substance than older patients. The finding that cannabis was substituted for all three classes of substances suggests that the medical use of cannabis may play a harm reduction role in the context of use of these substances, and may have implications for abstinence-based substance use treatment approaches. Further research should seek to differentiate between biomedical substitution for prescription pharmaceuticals and psychoactive drug substitution, and to elucidate the mechanisms behind both. [Lucas P, Walsh Z, Crosby K, Callaway R, Belle-Isle L, Kay B, Capler R, Holtzman S. Substituting cannabis for prescription drugs, alcohol, and other substances among medical cannabis patients: The impact of contextual factors. Drug Alcohol Rev 2016;35:326-333]. © 2015 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

  13. Psychiatric aspects of designer drugs and new psychoactive substances consumption

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antsyborov A.V.

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available according to the authors, appeared not long ago new psychoactive substances (designer drugs, including synthetic cannabinoids, derivatives of cathinone, phenethylamines, new stimulants, synthetic opioids, tryptamine derivatives, phencyclidine, piperazine, agonists of GABA (A/B receptors have become a serious problem for both consumers and doctors. Consumers of these substances are attracted primarily by the intensity of psychoactive effects, as well as «legal purity», which is declared by shadow producers. This indicates that there are some significant difficulties of laboratory typing of new surfactants. Designer drugs when ingested, can affect a range of neurotransmitter pathways/receptors: dopamine, cannabinoid (CB1, GABA(A/B, 5-HT2A, glutamate, and k-opioid receptors (KOR, the imbalance of which leads to the development of polymorphic psychotic disorders.

  14. Psychoactive Substance Use and Problematic Internet Use as Predictors of Bullying and Cyberbullying Victimization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zsila, Ágnes; Orosz, Gábor; Király, Orsolya; Urbán, Róbert; Ujhelyi, Adrienn; Jármi, Éva; Griffiths, Mark D; Elekes, Zsuzsanna; Demetrovics, Zsolt

    2018-01-01

    Research exploring the relationship between addictions and experiences of bullying suggests that problem behaviors may generally be associated with an increased risk of victimization. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of psychoactive substance use, excessive Internet use, and social support in both traditional offline bullying and online "cyberbullying" victimization in a nationally representative sample of adolescents ( N  = 6237; 51% male; M age  = 16.62 years, SD = 0.95). Results demonstrated that traditional bullying victimization was associated with cyberbullying victimization. Furthermore, psychoactive substance use and problematic Internet use predicted both traditional bullying and cyberbullying victimization. Finally, perceived social support was found to be an important protective factor against both traditional and cyberbullying victimization. However, psychoactive substance use and problematic Internet use accounted for only a small proportion of variance in victimization.

  15. Psychoactive substances of the South Seas: betel, kava and pituri.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cawte, J

    1985-03-01

    Before white man brought his alcohol to the South Pacific, the indigenes were using many wild plants possessing psychoactive properties. The most prominent were betel in much of Melanesia, kava in much of Polynesia, and pituri in much of Australia. The use of each of these three drugs was widespread, institutionalised as a ritual and the occasion for extensive trade. Each was valued for its effect in reducing tension or in producing altered states of consciousness. Each was also capable of inducing intoxication. Since few physicians nowadays have had my opportunity to observe the use of all three of these substances, their main features are recalled here. Attention is paid to their traditional use and probable future use, to their pharmacological and clinical properties, and to their place in the zeitgeist of people and period. There is no indication that these substances will be espoused by the drug enthusiasts of the West as avidly as other ethno-psychopharmacological agents such as Peruvian coca leaf, the Indian hemp, the Asian poppy, or the American tobacco. The possibility, however, of some use in the West cannot be discounted.

  16. A Study of Prevalence of Psychoactive Substance Use And Birth ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    . While there is continued efforts to determine factors associated, there would be need to examine if birth order influences its prevalence. Aim: The present study was aimed to determine the prevalence of psychoactive substance use among ...

  17. Identification of a new psychoactive substance in seized material

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Breindahl, Torben; Kimergård, Andreas; Andreasen, Mette Findal

    2017-01-01

    Among the new psychoactive substances (NPS) that have recently emerged on the market, many of the new synthetic opioids have shown to be particularly harmful. A new synthetic analogue of fentanyl, N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenethyl)piperidin-4-yl]prop-2-enamide (acrylfentanyl), was identified in powder...

  18. [The use of psychoactive remedies by dental students

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Plasschaert, A.J.M.; Hoogstraten, J.; Emmerik, B.J. van

    2002-01-01

    Dutch dental students were investigated for their attitudes, opinions and actual use of psychoactive substances such as tobacco, alcohol and drugs. A questionnaire from the United States (115 items) was translated and adapted to the Dutch situation and subsequently administered to dental students at

  19. Psychometric properties of the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness scale adapted for people who use psychoactive substances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallo, Verónica Del Valle; Burrone, María Soledad; Fernandez, Alicia Ruth; Boyd, Jennifer E; Abeldaño, Roberto Ariel

    2017-01-01

    People who consume psychoactive substances may experience situations of social stigma on the part of the society in general, and also situations of internalized-stigma derived from their own consumption of substances. The Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale has been shown to be valid and reliable to evaluate the internalized-stigma in people with severe mental disorders, but in Argentina there is no a Spanish version of this scale for use with people who use psychoactive substances. The objective of this work was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness instrument adapted for people who use psychoactive substances. The work was carried out on a sample of 200 patients older than 18 years under treatment of rehabilitation by consumption of psychoactive substances in a public institution of the city of Córdoba (Argentina) between the years 2014 and 2016. The instrument used was the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) previously adapted for use in these groups of patients. It was determined the reliability of the scale through Cronbach's coefficients α and factorial structure was analyzed through an exploratory factor analysis. The obtained coefficients showed a high reliability, while in the factorial structure emerged the 4 theoretical dimensions described by Ritsher, namely: social isolation, perceived discrimination, alienation and stereotyping. It is concluded that the scale adapted for people who use psychoactive substances is reliable and with an adequate factorial structure.

  20. Prevalence of tobacco, alcohol and psychoactive drug use among the college students in Chitwan

    OpenAIRE

    Manohar Pradhan

    2017-01-01

    Background & Objectives:Students of colleges may be vulnerable to consume tobacco, alcohol and psychoactive drugs due to various factors. This study was conducted with objectives of determining the prevalence of smoking, alcohol and psychoactive drug use among the bachelor level college students of Chitwan.Materials & Methods:This is a descriptive cross sectional study among the 132 bachelor level students at various colleges of Bharatpur, Chitwan district of Nepal. The students were ...

  1. The non-medical use of psychoactive substances among male secondary school students in Egypt: an epidemiological study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soueif, M I; El-Sayed, A M; Hannourah, M A; Darweesh, Z A

    1980-03-01

    The paper reports on an epidemiological study of the non-medical use of psychoactive substances by secondary school male students in Greater Cairo. The main aim of the study was to provide factual answers to the questions: (1) How prevalent is drug abuse among male school students? (2) What are the psychoactive substances most commonly used? (3) What sociopsychological variables are meaningfully associated with the use of substances?

  2. A Comparative study of use of psychoactive substances amongst ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Similarly, parents\\' marital status (p=0.05) was statistically significant in the use of Indian hemp, while family type (P=0.00), upbringing (P=0.03)was significant in cocaine. The findings of this study confirm the presence and use of psychoactive substances in varying proportions among students. Therefore, there is need to ...

  3. High prevalence of quasi-legal psychoactive substance use among male patients in HIV care in Japan: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayashi, Kanna; Wakabayashi, Chihiro; Ikushima, Yuzuru; Tarui, Masayoshi

    2017-02-23

    Syndemics of illicit drug use and HIV remain as significant public health issues around the world. There has been increasing concern regarding the rapidly growing market of new psychoactive substances, particularly in Asia. In response, the Japanese government has increasingly banned such substances in recent years. We sought to identify the prevalence and correlates of use of quasi-legal psychoactive substances among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in Japan. Data were derived from a nationwide survey of PLHIV conducted at nine leading HIV/AIDS care hospitals between July and December 2013. The prevalence and correlates of the use of quasi-legal psychoactive substances (e.g., synthetic cannabinoids, cathinone derivatives, etc. that had not been prohibited from using at the time of survey) among male participants were examined using multivariate survey logistic regression. Among 963 study participants, the majority (95.3%) were male. The most commonly used drug among men was quasi-legal psychoactive substances (55.3% ever and 12.8% in the previous year). In multivariate analysis, the lifetime use of tryptamine-type derivatives (i.e., 5-MeO-DIPT or N,N-diisopropyl-5-methoxytryptamine) (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.42; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.36-4.28) and methamphetamine/amphetamine (AOR: 3.59; 95% CI: 2.13-6.04) were independently associated with recent quasi-legal psychoactive substance use. In our sample of male PLHIV in Japan, quasi-legal psychoactive substances were the most commonly used drugs. Individuals who had ever used tryptamine-type derivatives or methamphetamine/amphetamine were more likely to report recent quasi-legal psychoactive substance use, suggesting a potential shift in drug use patterns from regulated to unregulated substances among this population. These findings indicate a need for further research to examine implications for HIV care.

  4. Acute poisoning with psychoactive substances in the 1990-2000 period of socioeconomic transition and crisis in Plovdiv region, Bulgaria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Illiev, Y; Akabaliev, V

    2002-06-01

    The "opening" of the post-totalitarian societies of Eastern Europe increased the illegal spread of psychoactive substances (PAS) in the past decade. We studied psychoactive substance acute poisoning (PAS AP)--types of toxic agents involved, incidence rates, and their changes--as indirect indicators of the characteristics, magnitude and development of the problem in Bulgaria during the 1990-2000 period of socioeconomic transition and crisis after collapse of communism. The study analyzed retrospectively the caseload of all 571 PAS acute poisonings that occurred in the territory: 417 men (73%) and 154 women (27%); mean age 24.07y (range 10-75). The number of all AP and PAS AP showed a marked increase during the last 3years of the studied period, especially in 2000. The average PAS AP incidence rate for 1998-2000 (13.50/100,000) compared to the mean value for the preceding period 1990-1997 (5.76/100,000) showed a 2.34 fold increase. Acute alcohol intoxication was 62.7%, of all PASAP; the opioid 15.2% (heroin 11.0%, other opioids 4.2%); prescribed and over the counter drugs 12.6%; inhalants 1.1%; cannabis 1.1%; and cocaine 0.7%. Amphetamine (or amphetamine-like), hallucinogens and phencyclidine (or phencyclidine-like) AP were not encountered. The average percentage of alcohol AP for 1998-2000 compared to the preceding 1990-1997 dropped from 78.12% to 44.72% (1.75 fold), while that of opioids rose from 6.59% to 26.47% (4.02 fold), and that of the other drugs group from 12.22% to 21.78% (1.78 fold increase). The new non-alcoholic PAS AP (heroin, cocaine, inhalants and cannabis AP, as indirect indicators of narcotic exposure) showed a rapid increase. The data showed they are expanding and catching up with alcohol as a new cause of substance-related problems, thus becoming one of the important health and social problems of post-totalitarian society.

  5. [Current situation on new psychoactive substances abuse among methadone maintenance treatment patients in China].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Z; Dai, M M; Cao, X B

    2018-04-10

    Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) greatly contributed to the successful outcomes of prevention and control on both AIDS and drug abuse in China. However, the features on drug abuse changed in the past decades, and the prevalence of new psychoactive substances abuse potentially somehow offset the achievement of MMT. This paper concised the information on research and surveys of this issue that targeting on the current situation, characteristics, related factors and relevant public health problem on new psychoactive substances abuse, among patients who have been on MMT, in China.

  6. [Sociology and epidemiology of consumption of psychoactive substances in adolescents].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beck, F; Legleye, S

    2009-12-01

    Epidemiological monitoring of drug use among adolescents or young adults is a major concern for public policy makers. This surveillance requires the use of adapted methodological solutions. This article presents how far epidemiological surveillance is a useful tool for monitoring drug use at adolescence. It also presents the results of the French general population surveys among adolescents or young adults, and the trends in the last decade. It relies on a survey among 17 years old adolescents and a general population survey among adults (analysis is restricted to people aged 18-25). A European school survey among 16 years old is also presented to compare the French situation to other European countries levels of use. The use of psychoactive substance increases fast with age during adolescence however results vary from one substance to another. Since year 2000, tobacco use is decreasing when alcohol use frequency appears stable between 2003 and 2005, although drunkenness has increased from 2000 to 2005. The frequency of lifetime or occasional use of cannabis appears stable since 2000. Among 17 years old, the proportion of regular users of cannabis has been stable between 2000 and 2005. Finally, the prevalence of ecstasy and cocaine increased during this period of time, despite being less than 4%, but the levels of the other illicit substances are low and stable. The results on alcohol variables and tobacco use in France are rather close to the European average. Four out of five 16 years old students had drunk alcohol during the past 12 months and 36 percent had been drunk during this period (vs 39% in the average European country). About one-third of the students had smoked cigarettes during the past 30 days (close to the 29% in the average European country). The use of cannabis, however, is clearly more prevalent in France. Almost one-third (31%) of the students had already used cannabis (vs 19% in the average European country). The use of inhalants was reported

  7. "Legal Highs"--An Emerging Epidemic of Novel Psychoactive Substances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zawilska, Jolanta B

    2015-01-01

    During the last decade, there has been an increase in the availability and use of novel psychoactive substances (NPS), also known as "legal highs," across the world. They include a wide range of products, from natural plant-originated substances to synthetic compounds, that can be purchased both online and from high street retailers. "Legal highs" mimic psychoactive effects of illicit drugs of abuse. However, they are claimed to consist of compounds that are legal to sell, possess, and use, often labeled as "not for human consumption" to circumvent drug abuse legislation. Based on the spectrum of their actions on cognitive processes, mood, and behavior, "legal highs" can be classified into four basis categories: amphetamine- and ecstasy-like stimulants, synthetic cannabinoids (SCs), hallucinogenic/dissociative, and opioid-like compounds. NPS may, however, exhibit a combination of these actions due to their designed chemical structure. Although the prevalence and pattern of NPS use differ between various countries, the most popular groups are SCs and psychostimulants, described in this chapter. Currently, there is limited information available on the potential acute toxicity (harms) associated with the use of these substances. However, the number of intoxicated people presenting with emergencies is constantly increasing, providing evidence that negative health and social consequences may indeed seriously affect recreational and chronic users. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Characterizing users of new psychoactive substances using psychometric scales for risk-related behavior

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vreeker, Annabel; van der Burg, Babette G.; van Laar, Margriet; Brunt, Tibor M.

    2017-01-01

    Studies investigating risk-related behavior in relation to new psychoactive substance (NPS) use are sparse. The current study investigated characteristics of NPS users by comparing risk-related behavior of NPS users to that of illicit drugs (ID) users and licit substances users and non-users (NLC)

  9. Novel psychoactive substance intoxication resulting in attempted murder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stevenson, Richard; Tuddenham, Laurence

    2014-07-01

    A man in his twenties who had no previous history of violence, snorted large quantities of two substances he identified as 3-methoxyphencyclidine (3-MeO-PCP), and methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV); both are recognised as novel psychoactive substances, or commonly described in the media as "legal highs". He also inhaled butane gas. He experienced vivid hallucinations and developed bizarre ideas. During this state of mind he stabbed his father multiple times and was arrested and charged with attempted murder. He had a previous history of drug induced psychosis and although he had some slight residual symptoms before he consumed the substances, these were not considered relevant to his criminal liability at the time of the offence. The hallucinations caused by the use of these substances took six weeks to completely recede. He was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to four years in prison. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

  10. PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES: ISSUE, ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT LEGISLATION AND ITS APPROPRIATENESS TO THE REALITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    André Jacinto

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The consumption of psychoactive substances has followed Humanity since the primordial of the civilization, not only by their medicinal proprieties as well as for religious and recreational purposes, however, its usage creates dependence and, subsequently, illicit traffic. Since the beginning of the previous century, many nations and international organisms have worked, without success, in the development of elimination strategies to this problem. Part of this failure is due to the current legal forms, because, when a new psychoactive substance is created, it occupies a legal void, in which its’ distribution and consumption are free, being recurrent updates to the legislation needed. An example of this situation was the one verified in the establishments commonly called smartshops. We purpose to compile the psychoactive substances’ legislation, analyse its’, advantages and disadvantages and to suggest a new legal form, based in new scientific facts, that allows to contour this situation.

  11. The prevalence of some psychoactive substances use among secondary school adolescents in Bosso Local Government Area, Nigeria

    OpenAIRE

    Egbuonu, Anthony C.C.; Egbuonu, Onyinye N.C.; Samuel, Effiong S.

    2015-01-01

    The prevalence of some psychoactive substances use was investigated among secondary school adolescents in Bosso Local Government Area, Niger State, Nigeria by descriptive cross-sectional survey design. Data from self-administered Psychoactive Substance Abuse Questionnaire (PSAQ) were analysed, using appropriate statistics. Amongst one thousand seven hundred and nineteen (1719) valid (of the one thousand eight hundred and twenty, 1820) respondents responses, their use for coffee (1028 or 59.8%...

  12. Psychoactive Substance Consumption in Recreational Settings among University Students in Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barbieri Irene

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available The consumption of psychoactive substances (PAS is a public health problem in Colombia andworldwide. The people who consume such substances are becoming younger, and their effectsare potentially harmful and may affect all areas of adjustment of the individual. Although it hasbeen conceived that way, the use of PAS is not always associated with personal problems or highdegrees of stress. There may be other motivations associated. Objective: The objectives of thisarticle are to present: (a the relative frequency of consumption of PAS among college students,(b which are the PAS consumed most by college students and differences in their consumptionby sex and by age, (3 the relationship between the consumption of PAS and contexts of diversion.Materials and methods: This is a descriptive correlational study derived from an Italian researchproject, in which the sample were 226 college students from four undergraduate programs ofa private university in Bogotá DC, selected using a stratified random sampling procedure withproportional allocation. Participants filled out a questionnaire. Results: The PAS with the highestconsumption were alcohol, nicotine and marijuana. Males predominantly showed an increasedconsumption. The results are consistent with the national trend. Conclusion: The consumptionof SPA among college students is high and some recreational contexts are closely associated withthis behaviour.

  13. Psychoactive substances use experience and addiction or risk of addiction among by Polish adolescents living in rural and urban areas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beata Pawłowska

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the study was to determine the similarities and differences between adolescents with psychoactive substances use experience living in urban and rural areas as regards the intensity of Internet addiction symptoms as well as the evaluation of prevalence of psychoactive substances use among adolescents depending on the place of residence. The examined group consisted of 1 860 people (1 320 girls and 540 boys their average age being 17 years. In the study the following research methods were used: the Sociodemographic Questionnaire designed by the authors, the Internet Addiction Questionnaire by Potembska, the Internet Addiction test by Young, the Internet Addiction Questionnaire (KBUI designed by Pawłowska and Potembska. Statistically significant differences were found as regards the prevalence of psychoactive substances use by the adolescents living in urban and rural areas and as regards the intensity of Internet addiction symptoms in adolescents, both from the urban and rural areas, who use and do not use illegal drugs. Significantly more adolescents living in urban areas as compared to their peers living in rural areas use psychoactive substances, mainly marihuana. The adolescents who use psychoactive substances, as compared to the adolescents with no experience using illegal drugs, living both in urban and rural areas significantly more often play online violent games and use web pornography. The adolescents living in rural areas who use psychoactive substances significantly more often as compared to the adolescents who do not use these substances claim that it is only thanks to the interactions established on the Internet that they can get acceptance, understanding and appreciation.

  14. The Effects of Perceived Parental Behaviors, Attitudes, and Substance-Use on Adolescent Attitudes toward and Intent To Use Psychoactive Substances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teichman, Meir; Kefir, Ester

    2000-01-01

    Examines how adolescents perceive the role of parents influencing their decision to use psychoactive substances. Perceived parental rejection, acceptance, and attitudes significantly differentiated between adolescents who reported favorable attitudes toward and high intent to use substances, and those who expressed less favorable attitudes. The…

  15. Novel psychoactive substance and other drug use by young adults in Western australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goggin, Leigh S; Gately, Natalie; Bridle, Russell I

    2015-01-01

    There is a lack of information regarding the use of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) in Western Australia. The aim of this study was to pilot-test an online survey to obtain data on the prevalence of NPS and other drug use by young Western Australians aged between 18 and 35 years. The Young Adult Drug and Alcohol Survey (YADAS) was a questionnaire deployed online for a period of six months. Participants were recruited via a combined targeted sampling and snowball methodology. There were 472 valid responses. Overall lifetime use of NPS was relatively high (17.6%), while use in the last year was lower (6.6%). These proportions were comparable to that of cocaine use. The most popular NPS were the synthetic cannabinoids. The proportions of respondents drinking alcohol at risky levels, mixing alcohol with energy drinks, and using pharmaceuticals such as ADHD medications for non-medical reasons were high. The YADAS is the first survey to ascertain the prevalence of use of numerous types of NPS in a large sample of young Western Australian adults. The utilization of an online survey methodology yielded valid results as compared to more intensive surveys, and enables researchers greater flexibility in being able to capture current trends.

  16. Psychoactive substance use, family context and mental health among Brazilian adolescents, National Adolescent School-based Health Survey (PeNSE 2012).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malta, Deborah Carvalho; Oliveira-Campos, Maryane; do Prado, Rogério Ruscitto; Andrade, Silvania Suely Caribé; de Mello, Flávia Carvalho Malta; Dias, Antonio José Ribeiro; Bomtempo, Denise Birche

    2014-01-01

    To evaluate the association between the consumption of psychoactive substances (tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs) and demographic variables, mental health and family context among school-aged children. The National Adolescent School-based Health Survey was held with a national sample of 109,104 students. Data regarding demographic variables, family background and mental health were collected. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations of interest. Multivariate analyses showed that alcohol consumption was higher among girls, drug experimentation was more frequent among boys and that there was no difference between sexes for smoking. Being younger and mulatto were negatively associated with the use of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs. Also negatively associated with such risk behaviors were characteristics of the family context represented by: living with parents, having meals together and parental supervision (when parents know what the child does in their free time). Moreover, characteristics of mental health such as loneliness and insomnia were positively associated with use of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs. Not having friends was positively associated with use of tobacco and illicit drugs and negatively associated with alcohol use. The study shows the protective effect of family supervision in the use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs and, on the contrary, the increasing use of substances according to aspects of mental health, such as loneliness, insomnia and the fact of not having friends. The study's findings may support actions from health and education professionals, as well as from the government and families in order to prevent the use of these substances by adolescents.

  17. Psychoactive substance use, family context and mental health among Brazilian adolescents, National Adolescent School-based Health Survey (PeNSE 2012

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deborah Carvalho Malta

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between the consumption of psychoactive substances (tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs and demographic variables, mental health and family context among school-aged children. METHODS: The National Adolescent School-based Health Survey was held with a national sample of 109,104 students. Data regarding demographic variables, family background and mental health were collected. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations of interest. RESULTS: Multivariate analyses showed that alcohol consumption was higher among girls, drug experimentation was more frequent among boys and that there was no difference between sexes for smoking. Being younger and mulatto were negatively associated with the use of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs. Also negatively associated with such risk behaviors were characteristics of the family context represented by: living with parents, having meals together and parental supervision (when parents know what the child does in their free time. Moreover, characteristics of mental health such as loneliness and insomnia were positively associated with use of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs. Not having friends was positively associated with use of tobacco and illicit drugs and negatively associated with alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows the protective effect of family supervision in the use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs and, on the contrary, the increasing use of substances according to aspects of mental health, such as loneliness, insomnia and the fact of not having friends. The study's findings may support actions from health and education professionals, as well as from the government and families in order to prevent the use of these substances by adolescents.

  18. Challenges Posed by Novel Psychoactive Substances – Middle East Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maciej J. Bogusz

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available New psychoactive substances (NPS are defined as substances of abuse, either in a pure form or a preparation, that are not controlled by the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs or the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, but which may pose a public health threat. In this context, the term “new” does not necessarily refer to new inventions but to substances that have recently become available or popular in a given society or country. This definition indicates that the problem of NPS is not new; however, the availability of any information via new communication technologies in the 21st century has enabled the spread of unwanted and socially harmful information, like information on the commercial availability of various NPS, offered in rising amounts and brands.

  19. Portugal's 2001 Drugs Liberalisation Policy: A UK Service Provider's Perspective on the Psychoactive Substances Act (2016)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banbury, Samantha; Lusher, Joanne; Guedelha, Francisco

    2018-01-01

    The Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) and the Psychoactive Substances Act (2016) both reinforce the criminalisation of drug use in the UK. The Psychoactive Substances Act (2016) has been developed to control and monitor the use of legal highs, particularly in institutions. This study aimed to establish drug service providers' viewpoints on how effective…

  20. Presence of psychoactive substances in oral fluid from randomly selected drivers in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Simonsen, K. Wiese; Steentoft, A.; Hels, Tove

    2012-01-01

    . The percentage of drivers positive for medicinal drugs above the Danish legal concentration limit was 0.4%; while, 0.3% of the drivers tested positive for one or more illicit drug at concentrations exceeding the Danish legal limit. Tetrahydrocannabinol, cocaine, and amphetamine were the most frequent illicit......This roadside study is the Danish part of the EU-project DRUID (Driving under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol, and Medicines) and included three representative regions in Denmark. Oral fluid samples (n = 3002) were collected randomly from drivers using a sampling scheme stratified by time, season......, and road type. The oral fluid samples were screened for 29 illegal and legal psychoactive substances and metabolites as well as ethanol. Fourteen (0.5%) drivers were positive for ethanol alone or in combination with drugs) at concentrations above 0.53 g/l (0.5 mg/g), which is the Danish legal limit...

  1. Decline in new psychoactive substance use disorders following legislation targeting headshops: Evidence from national addiction treatment data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smyth, Bobby P; Lyons, Suzi; Cullen, Walter

    2017-09-01

    New psychoactive substances (NPS) have hedonic effects that may lead to dependence. Headshops selling NPS increased in number in Ireland from late 2009. Legislation was enacted in May and August of 2010 that caused their closure. It is unknown whether such events impact the rate of NPS use disorders. We conducted a population-based study using the Irish national database of episodes of addiction treatment between 2009 and 2012. We examined trends in the rate of NPS-related treatment episodes among young adults. Joinpoint trend analysis software was used to identify significant changes in trend. Of the 31 284 episodes of addiction treatment commenced by adults aged 18 to 34 years, 756 (2.4%) were NPS related. In 2012, the 12-month moving average rate had fallen 48% from its peak in 2010, from 9.0/100 000 to 4.7/100 000. Joinpoint analysis indicated that the rate of NPS related episodes increased by 218% (95% confidence interval 86 to 445, P = 0.001) every 4 months until the first third of 2010. From that point, the rate declined by 9.8% (95% confidence interval -14.1 to -5.4, P = 0.001) per 4-month period. There was no significant trend change in the rate of non-NPS related treatment episodes. Over the 2 years after the enactment of prohibition-styled legislation targeting NPS and headshops, the rate of NPS related addiction treatment episodes among young adults declined progressively and substantially. We found no coinciding trend change in the rate of episodes linked to other drug groups. [Smyth BP, Lyons S, Cullen W. Decline in new psychoactive substance use disorders following legislation targeting headshops: Evidence fromnational addiction treatment data. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;00:000-000]. © 2017 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

  2. Qualitative screening of new psychoactive substances in pooled urine samples from Belgium and United Kingdom

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kinyua, J.; Negreira, N.; Miserez, B.; Causanilles, A.; Gremeaux, L.; Emke, E.; de Voogt, P.; Ramsey, J.; Covaci, A.; van Nuijs, A.L.N.

    2016-01-01

    Concerns about new psychoactive substances (NPS) are increasing due to the rising frequency of serious intoxications. Analysis of biological fluids (urine) is necessary to get reliable information about the use of these substances. However, it is a challenging task due to the lack of analytical

  3. Effectiveness of brief interventions as part of the Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model for reducing the nonmedical use of psychoactive substances: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Matthew M; Stevens, Adrienne; Galipeau, James; Pirie, Tyler; Garritty, Chantelle; Singh, Kavita; Yazdi, Fatemeh; Golfam, Mohammed; Pratt, Misty; Turner, Lucy; Porath-Waller, Amy; Arratoon, Cheryl; Haley, Nancy; Leslie, Karen; Reardon, Rhoda; Sproule, Beth; Grimshaw, Jeremy; Moher, David

    2014-05-24

    The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of brief interventions (BIs) as part of the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model for reducing the nonmedical use of psychoactive substances. Bibliographic databases (including MEDLINE, Embase, The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and PsycINFO to April 2012) and gray literature sources were searched. We included randomized controlled trials that opportunistically screened adolescents or adults and then provided a one-to-one, verbal BI to those at risk of substance-use harm. Of interest was the nonmedical use of psychoactive substances (for example, drugs prohibited by international law), excluding alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine. Interventions comprised four or fewer sessions and were compared with no/delayed intervention or provision of information only. Studies were assessed for bias using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results were synthesized narratively. Evidence was interpreted according to the GRADE framework. We identified 8,836 records. Of these, five studies met our inclusion criteria. Two studies compared BI with no BI, and three studies compared BI with information only. Studies varied in characteristics such as substances targeted, screening procedures, and BI administered. Outcomes were mostly reported by a single study, leading to limited or uncertain confidence in effect estimates. Insufficient evidence exists as to whether BIs, as part of SBIRT, are effective or ineffective for reducing the use of, or harms associated with nonmedical use of, psychoactive substances when these interventions are administered to nontreatment-seeking, screen-detected populations. Updating this review with emerging evidence will be important. CRD42012002414.

  4. Crisis intervention related to the use of psychoactive substances in recreational settings--evaluating the Kosmicare Project at Boom Festival.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho, Maria Carmo; de Sousa, Mariana Pinto; Frango, Paula; Dias, Pedro; Carvalho, Joana; Rodrigues, Marta; Rodrigues, Tania

    2014-01-01

    Kosmicare project implements crisis intervention in situations related to the use of psychoactive substances at Boom Festival (Portugal). We present evaluation research that aims to contribute to the transformation of the project into an evidence-based intervention model. It relies on harm reduction and risk minimization principles, crisis intervention models, and Grof's psychedelic psychotherapy approach for crisis intervention in situations related to unsupervised use of psychedelics. Intervention was expected to produce knowledge about the relation between substance use and mental health impact in reducing potential risk related to the use of psychoactive substances and mental illness, as well as an impact upon target population's views of themselves, their relationship to substance use, and to life events in general. Research includes data on process and outcome indicators through a mixed methods approach, collected next to a sample of n=176 participants. Sample size varied considerably, however, among different research measures. 52% of Kosmicare visitors reported LSD use. Over 40% also presented multiple drug use. Pre-post mental state evaluation showed statistically significant difference (p<.05) confirming crisis resolution. Crisis episodes that presented no resolution were more often related with mental health outburst episodes, with psychoactive substance use or not. Visitors showed high satisfaction with intervention (n=58) and according to follow-up (n=18) this perception was stable over time. Crisis intervention was experienced as very significant. We discuss limitations and implications of evaluating natural setting based interventions, and the relation between psychoactive substance use and psychopathology. Other data on visitor's profile and vulnerability to crisis showed inconclusive.

  5. Understanding the risks associated with the use of new psychoactive substances (NPS): high variability of active ingredients concentration, mislabelled preparations, multiple psychoactive substances in single products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zamengo, Luca; Frison, Giampietro; Bettin, Chiara; Sciarrone, Rocco

    2014-08-17

    New psychoactive substances (NPS), are now a large group of substances of abuse not yet completely controlled by international drug conventions, which may pose a public health threat. Anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations, seizures, hyperthermia and cardiotoxicity are some of the common adverse effects associated with these compounds. In this paper, three case reports taken from the archive of processed cases of the authors' laboratory are presented and discussed to stress the risks of possible adverse consequences for NPS users: in particular, (i) the risk deriving from the difficulty of predicting the actual consumed dose, due to variability of active ingredients concentration in consumed products, (ii) the risk deriving from the difficulty of predicting the actual active ingredients present in consumed products, as opposed to those claimed by the manufacturer, and (iii) the risk deriving from the difficulty of predicting the actual pharmacological and toxicological effects related to the simultaneous consumption of different psychoactive ingredients contained in single products, whose interactions are mostly unknown. Each of them individually provide a source of concern for possible serious health related consequences. However, they should be considered in conjunction with each others, with the worldwide availability of NPS through the web and also with the incessantly growing business derived from the manipulation and synthesis of new substances. The resulting scenario is that of a cultural challenge which demands a global approach from different fields of knowledge. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Are Alcohol Anti-relapsing and Alcohol Withdrawal Drugs Useful in Cannabinoid Users?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleczkowska, Patrycja; Smaga, Irena; Filip, Małgorzata; Bujalska-Zadrozny, Magdalena

    2016-11-01

    Cannabinoids are still classified as illegal psychoactive drugs despite their broad and increasingly acknowledged therapeutic potential. These substances are most famous for their wide recreational use, particularly among young adults to either alter the state of consciousness, intensify pleasure induced by other psychoactive substances or as an alternative to the previously abused drugs. It is important to emphasize that cannabinoids are often taken together with a variety of medications intended for the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD) or alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). These medications include disulfiram, acamprosate, and naltrexone. In this paper, we summarize recent advances in the knowledge of possible beneficial effects and interactions between cannabinoids and drugs commonly used for treatment of AUD and AWS either comorbid or existing as a separate disorder.

  7. [Comorbidity in adolescence: simultaneous declaration of depressive, eating, obsessive-compulsive symptoms and use of psychoactive substances in the general population of 17 year old students in a big city].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Modrzejewska, Renata

    2010-01-01

    To determine whether the following symptoms: depressive symptoms, eating disorder symptoms and obsessive-compulsive symptoms among adolescents in Kraków secondary schools are associated with an increased risk of psychoactive substance use. A representative sample of the population of Kraków secondary school pupils was tested. A two-stage draw method identified a group of 2034 2nd form pupils of all types of secondary schools: grammar schools, technical schools and vocational schools (17-year olds). They were tested using the following screening questionnaires: Beck Depression Scale, EAT-26 eating disorders scale, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (Leyton) scale and the author's drug questionnaire. The incidence of depressive symptoms among boys and girls is associated with an increased risk of alcohol use (74.8% among depressive boys versus 65.8% in the depressive group of girls), cigarette smoking (42.7% vs. 46.7%) and drug use (29.0% vs. 18.6%). All of the relationships are statistically significant in both sexes. 41.7% depressive boys admit to smoking, vs. only 32.6% in the non-depressive group. In the girls' group, these relationships are as follows: 46.7% versus 32.1%. The relationships are statistically significant in both sexes. The incidence of eating disorder symptoms among boys and girls is associated with a higher risk of alcohol use (respectively: 73.5% vs. 61.9%), cigarette smoking (42.1% vs. 46.9%), and drug use (31.6% versus 21.5%). Compared with a group of young people without eating disorder symptoms, the relationships are of statistical significance. Comorbidity of the following symptoms was found: depressive symptoms, eating disorder symptoms, obsessive-compulsive symptoms and symptoms of psychoactive substance use. The presence of depressive symptoms increases the risk of the use of psychoactive substances, especially alcohol and tobacco, to a lesser extent--drugs, both in the boys and in the girls. The presence of eating disorder symptoms

  8. Effects and risks associated with novel psychoactive substances: mislabeling and sale as bath salts, spice, and research chemicals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hohmann, Nicolas; Mikus, Gerd; Czock, David

    2014-02-28

    The number of newly reported psychoactive substances in Europe is now higher than ever. In order to evade legal restrictions, old and novel psychoactive substances from medical research and their derivatives are commonly mislabeled as "not for human consumption" and offered for sale on the Internet and elsewhere. Such substances are widely taken by young people as "club drugs." Their consumption must be considered in the differential diagnosis of psychiatric, neurological, cardiovascular, or metabolic disturbances of unclear origin in a young patient. Selective review of pertinent literature retrieved by a PubMed search, including publications by government-sponsored organizations. From 2010 to 2012, 163 substances were reported to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), mostly either synthetic cannabinoids (39.3%) or synthetic cathinones (16.6%). Synthetic cannabinoids alter mood and perception; intoxications cause agitation, tachy cardia, and arterial hypertension. Synthetic cathinones are hallucinogenic stimulants with predominantly cardiovascular and psychiatric side effects. Severe intoxications cause serotonin syndrome and potentially fatal rhabdomyolysis. Substances in either of these classes often escape detection in screening tests. Young persons who present with agitation and cardiovascular and/or psychiatric manifestations of unclear origin and whose drug screening tests are negative may be suffering from an intoxication with a novel psychoactive substance. Physicians should know the classes of such substances and their effects. Targeted toxicological analysis can be carried out in a toxicology laboratory or a facility for forensic medicine.

  9. Target and suspect screening of psychoactive substances in sewage-based samples by UHPLC-QTOF.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baz-Lomba, J A; Reid, Malcolm J; Thomas, Kevin V

    2016-03-31

    The quantification of illicit drug and pharmaceutical residues in sewage has been shown to be a valuable tool that complements existing approaches in monitoring the patterns and trends of drug use. The present work delineates the development of a novel analytical tool and dynamic workflow for the analysis of a wide range of substances in sewage-based samples. The validated method can simultaneously quantify 51 target psychoactive substances and pharmaceuticals in sewage-based samples using an off-line automated solid phase extraction (SPE-DEX) method, using Oasis HLB disks, followed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF) in MS(e). Quantification and matrix effect corrections were overcome with the use of 25 isotopic labeled internal standards (ILIS). Recoveries were generally greater than 60% and the limits of quantification were in the low nanogram-per-liter range (0.4-187 ng L(-1)). The emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS) on the drug scene poses a specific analytical challenge since their market is highly dynamic with new compounds continuously entering the market. Suspect screening using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) simultaneously allowed the unequivocal identification of NPS based on a mass accuracy criteria of 5 ppm (of the molecular ion and at least two fragments) and retention time (2.5% tolerance) using the UNIFI screening platform. Applying MS(e) data against a suspect screening database of over 1000 drugs and metabolites, this method becomes a broad and reliable tool to detect and confirm NPS occurrence. This was demonstrated through the HRMS analysis of three different sewage-based sample types; influent wastewater, passive sampler extracts and pooled urine samples resulting in the concurrent quantification of known psychoactive substances and the identification of NPS and pharmaceuticals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Next generation of novel psychoactive substances on the horizon - A complex problem to face.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zawilska, Jolanta B; Andrzejczak, Dariusz

    2015-12-01

    The last decade has seen a rapid and continuous growth in the availability and use of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) across the world. Although various products are labeled with warnings "not for human consumption", they are intended to mimic psychoactive effects of illicit drugs of abuse. Once some compounds become regulated, new analogues appear in order to satisfy consumers' demands and at the same time to avoid criminalization. This review presents updated information on the second generation of NPS, introduced as replacements of the already banned substances from this class, focusing on their pharmacological properties and metabolism, routes of administration, and effects in humans. Literature search, covering years 2013-2015, was performed using the following keywords alone or in combination: "novel psychoactive substances", "cathinones", "synthetic cannabinoids", "benzofurans", "phenethylamines", "2C-drugs", "NBOMe", "methoxetamine", "opioids", "toxicity", and "metabolism". More than 400 NPS have been reported in Europe, with 255 detected in 2012-2014. The most popular are synthetic cannabimimetics and psychostimulant cathinones; use of psychedelics and opioids is less common. Accumulating experimental and clinical data indicate that potential harms associated with the use of second generation NPS could be even more serious than those described for the already banned drugs. NPS are constantly emerging on the illicit drug market and represent an important health problem. A significant amount of research is needed in order to fully quantify both the short and long term effects of the second generation NPS, and their interaction with other drugs of abuse. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Psychoactive Substance Use and School Performance among Adolescents in Public Secondary Schools in Uganda

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rukundo, Aloysius; Kibanja, Grace; Steffens, Karl

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: Psychoactive substance use among adolescents influences behavioral and cognitive processes and is associated with adolescents' performance in school. We therefore sought to investigate association of PASU with adolescents' school performance. Methods: We employed quantitative methods of data collection and analysis. To test the…

  12. Investigation of drug products received for analysis in the Swedish STRIDA project on new psychoactive substances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bäckberg, Matilda; Jönsson, Karl-Henrik; Beck, Olof; Helander, Anders

    2018-02-01

    The web-based open sale of unregulated new psychoactive substances (NPS) has shown a steady increase in recent years. Analysis of drug products sold as NPS is useful to confirm the true chemical contents, for comparison with the substances detected in corresponding body fluids, but also to study drug trends. This work describes the examination of 251 drug products that were randomly submitted for analysis in 173 cases of suspected NPS-related intoxications in the Swedish STRIDA project in 2010-2015. Of the products, 39% were powders/crystals, 32% tablets/capsules, 16% herbal materials, 8% liquids, 1% blotters, and 4% others. The analysis involved tandem mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In 88 products (35%), classic psychoactive substances, prescription pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, or doping agents were found; however, in none of these cases had an NPS-related intoxication been indicated from product markings or patient self-reports. Another 12 products tested negative for psychoactive substances. The remaining 151 products contained 86 different NPS (30% contained ≥2 substances). In 104 drug products, a specific NPS ingredient was indicated based on labelling (69%) or patient self-report; in 92 cases this was also analytically confirmed to be correct. Overall, the NPS products submitted for analysis in the STRIDA project showed a high degree of consistency between suspected and actual content (88%). The results of related urine and/or blood analysis further demonstrated that the patients commonly (89%) tested positive for the indicated NPS, but also revealed that polysubstance intoxication was common (83%), indicating use of additional drug products. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. New psychoactive substances legislation in Ireland - Perspectives from academia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kavanagh, Pierce V; Power, John D

    2014-01-01

    The emergence of 'legal highs' or 'new psychoactive substances' (NPS) on the Irish market is reflective of their appearance in many countries, with some notable exceptions. The official response to the situation is examined here by looking at Irish controlled drugs legislation and drug enforcement policies as enacted in recent years and their effects on academic research on NPS. The philosophy and practice of outright bans of scheduled substances has not been effective in delivering the stated aims of illicit drug control, namely harm reduction. With these legislative changes, we have witnessed the removal of the 'legitimate' sale and open marketing of a number of NPS to the general public in commercial retail premises. However, as legislation was enacted, suppliers and vendors rapidly changed the contents of their legal high products from now controlled to non-controlled substances. We have found that it is administratively challenging to perform scientific research on controlled substances at academic institutions. It is desirable to gather analytical, pharmacological, and toxicological data on these substances as they emerge on the market but due to the restrictive nature of licensing requirements, once a substance or generic class of substances is controlled, this becomes more difficult. The facts that any quantity of substance, no matter how small, is controlled, the nomenclature used to describe compounds is not consistent within the enacted legislation and the use of catch-all classes of compounds with the intention of controlling many similar molecular structures, all create problematic issues for academic researchers. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. New psychoactive substances: catalysing a shift in forensic science practice?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tettey, Justice; Crean, Conor

    2015-08-05

    The analysis of substances of abuse remains one of the most matured areas in forensic science with a strong scientific basis, namely analytical chemistry. The current evolving drug markets, characterized by the global emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS) and the need for forensic scientists to identify an unprecedented and ever-increasing number of NPS, presents a unique challenge to this discipline. This article looks at the current situation with NPS at the global level, and the challenges posed to the otherwise technically robust forensic science discipline of analysis of substances of abuse. It discusses the preparedness of forensic science to deal with the current situation and identifies the need for a shift in forensic science practice, especially one which embraces research and looks beyond normal casework in order to provide the much needed data for developing effective policy responses to the NPS problem. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

  15. Mood Fluctuation and Psychobiological Instability: The Same Core Functions Are Disrupted by Novel Psychoactive Substances and Established Recreational Drugs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew C. Parrott

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Many novel psychoactive substances (NPS have entered the recreational drug scene in recent years, yet the problems they cause are similar to those found with established drugs. This article will debate the psychobiological effects of these newer and more traditional substances. It will show how they disrupt the same core psychobiological functions, so damaging well-being in similar ways. Every psychoactive drug causes mood states to fluctuate. Users feel better on-drug, then feel worse off-drug. The strength of these mood fluctuations is closely related to their addiction potential. Cyclical changes can occur with many other core psychobiological functions, such as information processing and psychomotor speed. Hence the list of drug-related impairments can include: homeostatic imbalance, HPA axis disruption, increased stress, altered sleep patterns, neurohormonal changes, modified brain rhythms, neurocognitive impairments, and greater psychiatric vulnerability. Similar patterns of deficit are found with older drugs such as cocaine, nicotine and cannabis, and newer substances such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, mephedrone and spice. All psychoactive drugs damage human well-being through similar basic neuropsychobiological mechanisms.

  16. African Journal of Drug & Alcohol Studies, 15(2), 2016 Copyright ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The aim of this study was to examine the pattern of substance use among university students in South ... Alcohol consumption was associated with sex, age ... Key words: pattern, psychoactive, substance use, peer pressure, experimenting.

  17. Monitoring risk behaviour in adolescent pupils regarding consumption of psychoactive substances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wojtyła-Buciora, Paulina; Klimberg, Aneta; Kapka-Skrzypczak, Lucyna; Diatczyk, Jarosław; Urbaniak, Monika; Ulatowska-Szostak, Ewa; Bołdowski, Tomasz; Wojtyła, Andrzej; Marcinkowski, Jerzy T

    2017-06-06

    Introduction. Taking psychoactive substances constitutes a significant problem for Public Health, particularly in preventing drug abuse and addiction. Objectives. To estimate the amount and incidence of drug consumption in middle and high school pupils, including the circumstances in which drug taking first started, and to determine pupils' knowledge about the consequences of taking psychoactive substances and designer drugs (DDs). Materials and methods. A randomised study was conducted throughout Poland on 9,360 pupils attending middle school (junior high school) in 2009 and 7,971 pupils from middle and high school pupils in 2011. The survey consisted of a questionnaire devised by the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate (GIS) and the replies obtained were subject to the relevant statistical analyses. Results. Drug taking was found to have increased between 2009-2011, especially among those attending high school; proportionally rising from 4% - 11%. The numbers who had ever taken designer drugs were 3% for middle school pupils and 4% from high school. Conclusions. 1) Adolescent drug consumption has increased, particularly in those of older age and in boys. 2) Despite the only brief interval for which designer drugs were legal, they have gained high popularity among the young. 3) Adolescents have insufficient knowledge about the dangers of using DDs. 4) Faced with the growing threat of a dynamic designer drug market, appropriate counter-measures in education and prevention are therefore necessary.

  18. New psychoactive substances of natural origin: A brief review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ling-Yi Feng

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Plant-based drugs of abuse are as old as recorded human history. Although traditional addictive substances, such as opium, cannabis and coca, have been controlled by the United Nations anti-drug conventions, many, if not most, natural plants with addictive or abuse liability remain elusive. Therefore, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC has warned the emerging threat from new psychoactive substances (NPS, which are mostly derived or modified from the constituents of natural origin. For example, synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic cathinones are derived from the cannabis and khat plant, respectively. In this review, we briefly discussed the chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of five common NPS of natural origin, i.e., khat, kratom, salvia, magic mushroom and mandrake. Through the review, we hope that professionals and general public alike can pay more attention to the potential problems caused by natural NPS, and suitable control measures will be taken.

  19. [Adolescent substance use and family problems].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malbergier, André; Cardoso, Luciana Roberta Donola; Amaral, Ricardo Abrantes do

    2012-04-01

    This study aimed to evaluate the association between substance use (alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs) and family problems among 965 adolescents from 50 public schools in two cities in São Paulo State, Brazil, in 2007. The Drug Use Screening Inventory (DUSI) was used for data collection. Use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs was associated with a negative assessment of the family relationship, lack of monitoring/support, and psychoactive substance use by family members (p illicit drugs had more family problems than those who did not consume any substance (p illicit drugs (p illicit drug use.

  20. Features of distribution and causes of risk-oriented behavior among young people (by the example of psychoactive substances use

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. L. Kukovska

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to investigate the university students’ views of possible situations and the reasons for the use of substances that can be addictive by their peers. So-called psychoactive substances (tobacco, alcohol, drugs, energy drinks can act as risk factors and  contribute to the development of a number of socially significant diseases.  The study did not provide for the study of the spread of harmful habits among young people, but only an analysis of the responses concerning the situation and the reasons for these phenomena.  The study involved 137 students aged 17 to 21 years.  It was found that the majority of respondents can not identify a single best reason, but pointed out a few of these reasons and situations.  It is shown that in the opinion of young people, the freer use of psychoactive substances among young people is primarily promoted by visits to discos, meeting with friends who are on the background of the lack of interesting activities and hobbies, as well as the situation, accompanied by an insufficient level of adult supervision, including the holidays period.  Analysis of the study results suggests a lack of skill level output from "uncomfortable" psychological situations among young people. The survey results indicate key influence of family and social environment on the degree of the risk-oriented behavior manifestation of young people.  Taking into account the significant contribution of risk factors in the state of public health indicators, analysis of the processes of formation and perception of health risks among young people requires special attention.  Conducting further systematic sociological studies, which will condition the direction and influence the quality of health preservation programs seems relevant and appropriate.

  1. Using Internet Snapshot Surveys to Enhance Our Understanding of the Availability of the Novel Psychoactive Substance Alpha-methyltryptamine (AMT).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, David Michael; Dargan, Paul Ivor

    2013-07-02

    Alpha-methyltryptamine (AMT) is a novel psychoactive substance available over the Internet. This study used European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) Internet snapshot methodology to investigate the availability and cost of AMT in March/October 2012. From March to October 2012, there was a decrease in the number of Internet sites selling AMT (44 to 31). AMT powder was cheaper in "bulk" (100 g) than in "recreational-user" (100 mg) quantities, and there was a decrease in price. Data from Internet snapshot surveys complement and allow triangulation of data from other sources to build a more detailed picture on availability and use of novel psychoactive substances.

  2. Herbal Highs: Review on Psychoactive Effects and Neuropharmacology

    OpenAIRE

    Graziano, Silvia; Orsolini, Laura; Rotolo, Maria Concetta; Tittarelli, Roberta; Schifano, Fabrizio; Pichini, Simona

    2017-01-01

    Background: A new trend among users of new psychoactive substances’ the consumption of “herbal highs”: plant parts containing psychoactive substances. Most of the substances extracted from herbs, in old centuries were at the centre of religious ceremonies of ancient civilizations. Currently, these herbal products are mainly sold by internet web sites and easily obtained since some of them have no legal restriction. Objective: We reviewed psychoactive effects and neuropharmacology of the most ...

  3. [Legislation concerning alcohol and drug intake in the workplace].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goszczyńiska, Eliza

    2013-01-01

    It is likely that the complex law concerning alcohol and drugs in the workplace is one of the reasons for unwillingness to resolve the problem of intake of such psychoactive substances by employees. 'Iherefore, the author made an attempt to depict Polish legislation in this field based on the review of legal acts and regulations, as well as on their extensive judiciary interpretation. Such an information can be used by employers in developing their workplace policy of diminishing the intake of psychoactive substances by employees. This information can also be helpful for the bodies supporting workplaces in solving problems derived from alcohol and drugs consumption, such as occupational medicine specialists and local governments.

  4. A market on both ‘sides’ of the law: the use of the hidden web for the sale of new psychoactive substances

    OpenAIRE

    Wadsworth, Elle; Drummond, Colin; Kimergård, Andreas; Deluca, Paolo

    2017-01-01

    ObjectiveThe hidden Web is used for the anonymous sale of drugs, and with the UK Psychoactive Substances Act, 2016, implemented on May 26th 2016; it could increase as a platform for obtaining new psychoactive substances (NPS).This study aims to describe the NPS market on the visible and hidden Web preban, and assess whether the hidden Web is a likely place for the sale of NPS postban.MethodsData collection of 113 online shops took place in October 2015. Data collection of 22 cryptomarkets too...

  5. The interest in eight new psychoactive substances before and after scheduling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ledberg, Anders

    2015-07-01

    In recent years the recreational use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) has increased. NPS are considered a threat to public health and the main response to this threat is to make the selling and buying of these substances illegal. In Sweden, during the last 5 years, 62 new substances have been classified as narcotics but little is known of the effects of making a particular substance illegal. The aim of this work is to study how legal status influences the interest in NPS in Sweden. Forty-five thousand posts made in a Swedish Internet discussion forum (Flashback Forum) related to eight NPS (MDPV, Methylone, 4-MEC, 4-HO-MET, MXE, 6-APB, AH-7921, and 3-MMC) were used to derive time-dependent measures of interest in these substances. Intervention analyses were used to investigate the effects of legal status on the forum interest. For all eight substances the activity on the forum (measured as number of posts per day) showed a drastic decrease around the time of classification. The statistical analysis showed that in seven of eight cases, the drop in activity could be accounted for by the legal status of the substances. The legal status of the substances was shown to have a substantial effect on the interest in the substances. The novel measure used to trace the interest in particular NPS could be a useful tool to follow trends in substance use in almost real-time. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Target and suspect screening of psychoactive substances in sewage-based samples by UHPLC-QTOF

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baz-Lomba, J.A., E-mail: jba@niva.no [Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Gaustadalléen 21, NO-0349, Oslo (Norway); Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, PO box 1078 Blindern, 0316, Oslo (Norway); Reid, Malcolm J.; Thomas, Kevin V. [Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Gaustadalléen 21, NO-0349, Oslo (Norway)

    2016-03-31

    The quantification of illicit drug and pharmaceutical residues in sewage has been shown to be a valuable tool that complements existing approaches in monitoring the patterns and trends of drug use. The present work delineates the development of a novel analytical tool and dynamic workflow for the analysis of a wide range of substances in sewage-based samples. The validated method can simultaneously quantify 51 target psychoactive substances and pharmaceuticals in sewage-based samples using an off-line automated solid phase extraction (SPE-DEX) method, using Oasis HLB disks, followed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF) in MS{sup e}. Quantification and matrix effect corrections were overcome with the use of 25 isotopic labeled internal standards (ILIS). Recoveries were generally greater than 60% and the limits of quantification were in the low nanogram-per-liter range (0.4–187 ng L{sup −1}). The emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS) on the drug scene poses a specific analytical challenge since their market is highly dynamic with new compounds continuously entering the market. Suspect screening using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) simultaneously allowed the unequivocal identification of NPS based on a mass accuracy criteria of 5 ppm (of the molecular ion and at least two fragments) and retention time (2.5% tolerance) using the UNIFI screening platform. Applying MS{sup e} data against a suspect screening database of over 1000 drugs and metabolites, this method becomes a broad and reliable tool to detect and confirm NPS occurrence. This was demonstrated through the HRMS analysis of three different sewage-based sample types; influent wastewater, passive sampler extracts and pooled urine samples resulting in the concurrent quantification of known psychoactive substances and the identification of NPS and pharmaceuticals. - Highlights: • A novel reiterative workflow

  7. Target and suspect screening of psychoactive substances in sewage-based samples by UHPLC-QTOF

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baz-Lomba, J.A.; Reid, Malcolm J.; Thomas, Kevin V.

    2016-01-01

    The quantification of illicit drug and pharmaceutical residues in sewage has been shown to be a valuable tool that complements existing approaches in monitoring the patterns and trends of drug use. The present work delineates the development of a novel analytical tool and dynamic workflow for the analysis of a wide range of substances in sewage-based samples. The validated method can simultaneously quantify 51 target psychoactive substances and pharmaceuticals in sewage-based samples using an off-line automated solid phase extraction (SPE-DEX) method, using Oasis HLB disks, followed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF) in MS"e. Quantification and matrix effect corrections were overcome with the use of 25 isotopic labeled internal standards (ILIS). Recoveries were generally greater than 60% and the limits of quantification were in the low nanogram-per-liter range (0.4–187 ng L"−"1). The emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS) on the drug scene poses a specific analytical challenge since their market is highly dynamic with new compounds continuously entering the market. Suspect screening using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) simultaneously allowed the unequivocal identification of NPS based on a mass accuracy criteria of 5 ppm (of the molecular ion and at least two fragments) and retention time (2.5% tolerance) using the UNIFI screening platform. Applying MS"e data against a suspect screening database of over 1000 drugs and metabolites, this method becomes a broad and reliable tool to detect and confirm NPS occurrence. This was demonstrated through the HRMS analysis of three different sewage-based sample types; influent wastewater, passive sampler extracts and pooled urine samples resulting in the concurrent quantification of known psychoactive substances and the identification of NPS and pharmaceuticals. - Highlights: • A novel reiterative workflow based on three

  8. [Impact of internet on poisoning with psychoactive substances in young people].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radoniewicz-Chagowska, Anna; Tchórz, Michał; Kujawa, Anna; Szponar, Jarosław; Drelich, Grzegorz

    2012-01-01

    These days young people use internet as a source of information. Internet offers knowledge that can be used not only for school education but also to obtain information about usage and effects of psychoactive substances. Recent research shows that young people more often use internet websites and chat rooms to exchange knowledge and experience with chemicals and everyday products used as intoxicants, for example: nutmeg, nonprescription medications, metal cleaning liquid or feminine hygiene products. This article shows the extend of knowledge young people can gain from popular internet websites. Information on the web is presented as appealing, attractive and encouraging. From a toxicologist point of view it is extremely important to be familiar with those new threats because more and more often we have to treat young patients with a serious poisoning from usage of experimental intoxicating substances.

  9. [Licit and illicit substance use during pregnancy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamy, Sandrine; Delavene, Héloise; Thibaut, Florence

    2014-03-01

    Licit and illicit substance use during pregnancy is a major public health concern. Alcohol and substance (tobacco, cannabis, cocaine...) use prevalence during pregnancy remains under estimated. Some studies have reported the prevalence of alcohol or substance use in different countries worldwide but most of them were based on the mother's interview. Consumption of one or more psychoactive substances during pregnancy may have serious consequences on the pregnancy and on the child development. However, the type of consequences is still a matter of controversies. The reasons are diverse: different rating scales, potential interactions with environmental and genetic factors. Considering the negative consequences of drug use during pregnancy, preventive campaigns against the use of drugs during pregnancy are strongly recommended.

  10. Legislation concerning alcohol and drug intake in the workplace

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliza Goszczyńska

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available It is likely that the complex law concerning alcohol and drugs in the workplace is one of the reasons for unwillingness to resolve the problem of intake of such psychoactive substances by employees. Therefore, the author made an attempt to depict Polish legislation in this field based on the review of legal acts and regulations, as well as on their extensive judiciary interpretation. Such an information can be used by employers in developing their workplace policy of diminishing the intake of psychoactive substances by employees. This information can also be helpful for the bodies supporting workplaces in solving problems derived from alcohol and drugs consumption, such as occupational medicine specialists and local governments. Med Pr 2013;64(4:593–608

  11. Non-medical use of psychoactive prescription drugs is associated with fatal poisoning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haukka, Jari; Kriikku, Pirkko; Mariottini, Claudia; Partonen, Timo; Ojanperä, Ilkka

    2018-03-01

    The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence and predictors of non-medical substance use, and to assess the association between non-medical substance use and fatal poisoning or history of drug abuse in Finland. Retrospective cohort study of all medico-legally investigated death cases in Finland. The postmortem toxicology database was linked together with the register on reimbursed prescription medicines. All postmortem cases between 2011 and 2013 positive for one or more of the following drugs: oxycodone, fentanyl, tramadol, clonazepam, gabapentin, pregabalin, tizanidine, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, alprazolam, zolpidem, mirtazapine and bupropion, n = 2974. Non-medical use of substance was the outcome variable. Predictors were the following: gender, residence at the time of death, place of death, blood alcohol concentration, age, drug abuse, number of prescriptions of any psychoactive drugs in last year and proportion of prescriptions issued by psychiatrist in last year. In 50.4% of the studied cases, at least one drug was detected without a prescription. Clonazepam, alprazolam and tramadol were the most prevalent non-medical findings in these cases (6.6, 6.1 and 5.6%, respectively). The risk of non-medical use of prescription drugs was especially high in cases with history of drug abuse (88.5%) and in fatal poisonings (71.0%). The proportion of non-medical use of the studied substances varied between 5.9% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.1-10.1%)] for risperidone and 55.7% for fentanyl (95% CI = 44.1-66.9%). Valid prescription for one or more of any psychoactive drug was associated with lower odds for non-medical use of the studied substances. Additionally, the higher the proportion of psychoactive drugs prescribed by a psychiatrist, the lower the probability of non-medical use. Non-prescribed psychoactive drugs are found commonly at postmortem in drug poisoning deaths in Finland, with history of drug abuse being a major contributing

  12. Generic legislation of new psychoactive drugs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Amsterdam, Jan; Nutt, David; van den Brink, Wim

    2013-01-01

    New psychoactive drugs (NPDs, new psychoactive substances) enter the market all the time. However, it takes several months to ban these NPDs and immediate action is generally not possible. Several European countries and drug enforcement officers insist on a faster procedure to ban NPDs. Introduction

  13. Categorization of psychoactive substances into "hard drugs" and "soft drugs": a critical review of terminology used in current scientific literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janik, Peter; Kosticova, Michaela; Pecenak, Jan; Turcek, Michal

    2017-11-01

    Precise terminology and definitions are important components of scientific language. Although the terms "hard drugs" and "soft drugs" are used widely by professionals, neither the International Classification of Diseases nor the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual classify psychoactive substances into the categories "hard" and "soft." To analyze the occurrence of the terms "hard drugs" and "soft drugs" in recent scientific literature and to establish the degree of consensus in labeling psychoactive substances as "hard" or "soft." A critical review of scientific papers listed in PubMed and Scopus between 2011 and 2015. Three hundred thirty-four articles were initially identified as potentially relevant for review, 132 of which were included in the final analysis. One hundred twenty-four articles used the term "hard drugs" and 84.7% provided examples of substances considered "hard." Forty-four articles used the term "soft drugs" and 90.9% provided examples of substances considered "soft." Citations of relevant articles supporting categorization as "hard" or "soft" were not given in 90% of the articles. The authors often provided no or only very sparse information on their reasons for considering specific drugs as "hard" or "soft." Although it initially appeared that there is substantial agreement as to which psychoactive substances should be regarded as "hard" and "soft," closer inspection shows that the dividing line is blurred without clear criteria for categorization. At this time, it remains uncertain whether these terms should persist in the scientific literature. We therefore recommend these terms should be avoided or, if used, be clearly and precisely defined.

  14. Simultaneous identification of abused drugs, benzodiazepines, and new psychoactive substances in urine by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hei-Hwa Lee

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available A literature search reveals no studies concerning simultaneous identification of commonly abused drugs, benzodiazepines, and new psychoactive substances in urine by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS. We developed and validated an LC–MS/MS method for simultaneous identification of multiple abused drugs, benzodiazepines, and new psychoactive substances in urine from suspected drug abusers. The instrument was operated in multiple-reaction monitoring using an electrospray ionization mode. Chromatograms were separated using an ACE5 C18 column on a gradient of acetonitrile. After liquid–liquid extraction, samples were passed through a 0.22-μm polyvinylidene difluoride filter before injection into the LC–MS/MS. The limits of quantitation ranged from 0.5 ng/mL to 31.3 ng/mL. The linearity ranged from 0.5 ng/mL to 200 ng/mL. The precision results were below 15.4% (intraday and 18.7% (interday. The intraday accuracy ranged from 85.9% to 121.0%; interday accuracy ranged from 66.1% to 128.7%. The proposed method was applied to 769 urine samples. The most common three drugs identified were ketamine, amphetamine, and opiates. The drug positive rate for one or more drugs was 79.6%. Our results demonstrate the suitability of the LC–MS/MS method for simultaneous identification of multiple abused drugs, benzodiazepines, and new psychoactive substances in urine.

  15. Success rates in smoking cessation: Psychological preparation plays a critical role and interacts with other factors such as psychoactive substances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joly, Bertrand; Perriot, Jean; d'Athis, Philippe; Chazard, Emmanuel; Brousse, Georges; Quantin, Catherine

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with the results of smoking cessation attempts. Data were collected in Clermont-Ferrand from a smoking cessation clinic between 1999 and 2009 (1,361 patients). Smoking cessation was considered a success when patients were abstinent 6 months after the beginning of cessation. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate the association between abstinence and different factors. The significant factors were a history of depression (ORadjusted = 0.57, p = 0.003), state of depression at the initial consultation (ORa = 0.64, p = 0.005), other psychoactive substances (ORa = 0.52, psuccess was four times higher). A high score in the Richmond test had a greater impact on success with increasing age (significant interaction: p = 0.01). In exclusive smokers, the contemplation level in the Prochaska algorithm was enough to obtain a satisfactory abstinence rate (65.5%) whereas among consumers of other psychoactive substances, it was necessary to reach the preparation level in the Prochaska algorithm to achieve a success rate greater than 50% (significant interaction: p = 0.02). The psychological preparation of the smoker plays a critical role. The management of smoking cessation must be personalized, especially for consumers of other psychoactive substances and/or smokers with a history of depression.

  16. Report on psychoactive drug use among adolescents using ayahuasca within a religious context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doering-Silveira, Evelyn; Grob, Charles S; de Rios, Marlene Dobkin; Lopez, Enrique; Alonso, Luisa K; Tacla, Cristiane; Da Silveira, Dartiu Xavier

    2005-06-01

    Ritual use of ayahuasca within the context of the Brazilian ayahuasca churches often starts during late childhood or early adolescence. Premature access to psychoactive drugs may represent a risk factor for drug misuse. Conversely, religious affiliation seems to play a protective role in terms of substance abuse. The objective of this study was to describe patterns of drug use in a sample of adolescents using ayahuasca within a religious setting. Forty-one adolescents from a Brazilian ayahuasca sect were compared with 43 adolescents who never drank ayahuasca. No significant differences were identified in terms of lifetime substance consumption. Throughout the previous year period, ayahuasca adolescents used less alcohol (46.31%) than the comparison group (74.4%). Recent use of alcohol was also more frequent among the latter group (65.1%) than among ayahuasca drinkers (32.5%). Although not statistically significant, slight differences in terms of patterns of drug use were definitely observed among groups. Despite their early exposure to a hallucinogenic substance, adolescents using ayahuasca in a controlled setting were mostly comparable to controls except for a considerably smaller proportion of alcohol users. Religious affiliation may have played a central role as a possible protective factor for alcohol use. Thus, ayahuasca seems to be a relatively safe substance as far as drug misuse is concerned.

  17. [Professional drivers and psychoactive substances consumption: results from medical surveillance at the workplace in Piedmont region].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosso, G L; Feola, M; Rubinetto, Maria Paola; Petti, N; Rubinetto, L

    2011-01-01

    The use of psychoactive substances has been shown to be a risk factor for accidents in professional drivers. According to an approved Italian law, in order to detect dependency at the workplace the occupational health physician is called to assess the use of illicit drugs among professional drivers. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the use of psychoactive substances among professional drivers. From July to December 2008, rapid urine screening test was carried out on 198 professional drivers. All positive results from the screening stage were verified by specialized laboratories. We found 4 workers with a positive rapid urine screening test (7.1%), one of which was positive only for benzodiazepines and another positive test was not confirmed by specialized laboratory. By only considering illegal substances detected, 6.1% of the drivers tested positive. In this study, the high number of consumers among professional drivers ranged from 31 to 35 years old. Cannabis (THC) was the most frequently detected substance (seen in 10 over 12 cases,), after that was methadone (2/12 cases) and cocaine (1/12 case). We only had one case where more than one substance was found in the same subject (THC and cocaine). Five (41.7%) were former drug-addicts and public Pathological Addiction Services (Ser.T.) had previously followed them. Our results highlight the problem of drug consumption among professional drivers in Piedmont region. Health education and medical surveillance in workplace drug-testing may improve worker and third parties safety.

  18. Childhood Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Future Substance Use Disorders: Comparative Meta-Analyses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charach, Alice; Yeung, Emanuela; Climans, Troy; Lillie, Erin

    2011-01-01

    Objective: In recent years cohort studies have examined childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a risk factor for substance use disorders (SUDs) in adolescence and young adulthood. The long-term risk is estimated for development of alcohol, cannabis, combined alcohol and psychoactive SUDs, combined SUDs (nonalcohol), and…

  19. Risk of driving when positive for psychoactive substances

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lyckegaard, Allan; Hels, Tove; Bernhoft, Inger Marie

    2013-01-01

    .8 g/L and 1.2 g/L, multiple drugs and amphetamines (OR between 5 and 30). Medium increased risk was found for BAC between 0.5 and 0.8 g/L, cocaine, benzoylecgonine, illicit opiates and medicinal opioids (OR between 2 and 10). Slightly elevated risk was associated with cannabis and BAC between 0.1 g......Background Driving with alcohol imposes an increased risk of injury, but the knowledge about other drugs is limited. Aims This paper aims to assess the risk of driving with alcohol, illicit drugs and medicines in various European countries. Method The risk of getting seriously injured or killed....../L and 0.5 g/L (OR between 1 and 3). Discussion and conclusion Risk of serious injury or fatality for drivers positive for the various substances was significantly above 1. However, high alcohol concentrations and the combination of alcohol and other drugs showed the highest risk and alcohol is therefore...

  20. Tackling drug and alcohol misuse in Brazil: priorities and challenges for nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rassool, G H; Villar-Luis, M

    2004-12-01

    To provide an overview of the extent of drug and alcohol misuse in Brazil and the policies and approaches in tackling substance misuse. An examination of the challenges facing the nursing profession in working with substance misusers is presented. Alcohol, cocaine, and cannabis are the most commonly misused psychoactive substances in Brazil. One of the biggest public health problems is the interface between the misuse of psychoactive substances and HIV prevalence and other sexually transmitted diseases. Findings from a recent study suggest that undergraduate nurses in Brazil are not adequately prepared in the care and management of substance misuse problems. The nursing profession in Brazil faces numerous challenges in the development of professional competence of nurses in this field. A strategy proposed is the creation of regional centres in Brazil to study the integration of substance use and misuse in the nursing undergraduate curriculum and the giving of specific support in teaching and research to nurse teachers. Nurses have a key role to play in the early recognition, assessment, prevention, and treatment of substance misuse.

  1. [Psychoactive substance use and violent behavior 11-18 year-old students. Itagüí, Colombia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chavarriaga-Rios, Marcia C; Segura-Cardona, Ángela M

    2015-10-01

    Objective To determine the association between consumption of psychoactive substances (PAS) and violent behavior in middle and high school students (grades 6 to 11) in the municipality of Itagui, Colombia. Method Cross-sectional study with a random sample of 646 middle and high school students. Participants volunteered to fill out the survey independently and consent was provided. Participants' identity was kept anonymous. The survey contained questions regarding socio-demographic characteristics, PAS consumption and violent behavior. For these variables a descriptive analysis was conducted. In addition, prevalence ratios and 95 % confidence intervals were calculated. Lastly, a multivariate analysis was performed to determine association and risk factors. Results 646 students satisfactorily answered the survey. The median age was 15 years [Rq 3]. From this sample, 45.6 % (295) were male and 54.3 % (351) were female; 59.3 % (383) had a low socio-economic status, 38.9 % (251) have a medium socio-economic status, and 0.8 % (5) have a high socio-economic status. Regarding PAS consumption, 53.4% (345) of the participants reported to have consumed at least one PAS; 46.9 % (162/345) reported to have consumed alcohol within the last year; 15.3 % (53/345) reported to have consumed marihuana. All consumed substances were found to be associated with and were identified as a risk factor for violent behavior. Conclusions SPA consumption is associated with youth violent behavior and represents a risk factor to perform such behavior. Substances such as heroin, cocaine, and ecstasy, represent greater risk when compared to other analyzed PAS. When the other variables were adjusted, cigarettes and inhalants consumption, among others, were no longer a risk factor.

  2. Characterizing users of new psychoactive substances using psychometric scales for risk-related behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vreeker, Annabel; van der Burg, Babette G; van Laar, Margriet; Brunt, Tibor M

    2017-07-01

    Studies investigating risk-related behavior in relation to new psychoactive substance (NPS) use are sparse. The current study investigated characteristics of NPS users by comparing risk-related behavior of NPS users to that of illicit drugs (ID) users and licit substances users and non-users (NLC) users. In this cross-sectional study we included 528 individuals across an age range of 18-72years. Using a web-based questionnaire we collected self-report data on substance use, sensation seeking, impulsivity, peer substance use and risk perception of substance use. NPS and ID users had a higher level of sensation seeking compared to NLC users (NPS users: pusers: pusers (pusers (p=0.16), had increased levels of impulsivity compared to NLC users. NPS users had significantly higher scores for sensation seeking (F 1,423 =51.52, pusers. Additionally, NPS users had significantly more peers who use substances compared to ID and NLC users. Also, NPS and ID users had lower risk perception for most substances than NLC users. NPS users had lower risk perception for most substances than ID users. The findings highlight that NPS users show substantial more risk-related behavior than both ID and NLC users. Therefore, NPS users might be considered as a distinctive group of substance users that need another approach in terms of prevention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. A systematic review of the effects of novel psychoactive substances 'legal highs' on people with severe mental illness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, R; Bressington, D; Hughes, E; Ivanecka, A

    2016-06-01

    WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) include synthetic drugs mimicking the effects of illicit drugs, e.g. synthetic cannabinoids, and herbs such as Salvia divinorum. NPS are substances that can trigger hallucinations and other effects altering the mind, and are currently uncontrolled by the United Nations' 1961 Narcotic Drugs/1971 Psychotropic Substances Conventions. NPS affect brain chemistry that induces the psychoactive effects, such as hallucinations and feeling 'high'. It is unknown what effects such drugs have on people with severe mental illness (i.e. psychotic illnesses). WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Our review demonstrates that little is known about the effects of various NPS on people with severe mental illness. Almost nothing is known about the long-term consequences of NPS use on the mental and physical health of SMI patients. Patients may lack understanding that NPS are psychoactive drugs that can impact on their mental and physical wellbeing. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Some patients might be reluctant or do not think it is relevant to disclose NPS use. Commonly used illicit drug screening is unlikely to detect the presence of NPS, therefore health and mental health professionals should directly enquire about NPS and actively encourage patients with severe mental illness to disclose any substance use. There was no significant patient and public involvement in the development and conduct of this study . Introduction Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) are synthetic substances that have been developed to produce altered states of consciousness and perceptions. People with severe mental illness (SMI) are more likely to use NPS than people without mental illness, but the short- and long-term effects of NPS are largely unknown. Method We systematically reviewed the literature about the effects of NPS on people with SMI. Results We included 12 case reports, 1 cross-sectional survey and 1 qualitative

  4. [Initiation and consumption of psychoactive substances among adolescents and young adults in an Anti-Drug Psychosocial Care Center].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Carolina Carvalho; Costa, Maria Conceição Oliveira; de Carvalho, Rosely Cabral; Amaral, Magali Teresópolis Reis; Cruz, Nilma Lázara de Almeida; da Silva, Mariana Rocha

    2014-03-01

    The study seeks to characterize the initiation and consumption pattern of psychoactive substances among adolescents and young adults enrolled in an Alcohol and Drug Psychosocial Care Center (CAPS-AD). This study was conducted with records of attendance and the consumption pattern was classified in accordance with WHO: infrequent use (lifetime use, per year or up to five days per month); frequent use (6 to 19 times in the past 30 days); heavy use (≥ 20 times in the last 30 days). In the age group comparison, the test for proportion and association analysis was used and the prevalence and prevalence ratio was calculated with a significance level of 5% and 95% confidence interval. Of the total of adolescents and young adults treated between 2003 and 2008 (475), most were male, single, poorly educated, live with relations and have psychic symptoms. Statistical significance was found for age at initiation of use: adolescents compared to young adults started earlier (≤ 14 years): tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, crack and other SPA consumption. Among adolescents, significant results were found for the less frequent consumption of tobacco, more frequent use of alcohol, and heavy consumption of marijuana. These findings may contribute to the preventive and therapeutic CAPS-AD programs.

  5. Drugs of Abuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances at Outdoor Music Festivals in Colorado.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fox, Jacob; Smith, Alexis; Yale, Alexander; Chow, Christopher; Alaswad, Elsa; Cushing, Tracy; Monte, Andrew A

    2018-06-07

    Drugs of abuse (DOA) are widely used in the United States and are ubiquitous at outdoor music festivals. Attendees at music festivals are at high-risk for novel psychoactive substance (NPS) use, which is becoming more prevalent worldwide. No U.S. studies have employed an qualitative approach to investigate the etiologies of both traditional DOA and NPS use amongst music festival attendees. The objective of this study was to improve understanding of the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices of festival attendees using NPS and DOA. We conducted semi-structured interviews of 171 attendees during the Sonic Bloom and Arise music festivals in Colorado in 2015 and 2016. Discrete variables were summarized with descriptive statistics. The anonymous, multi-domain interview documented the knowledge, attitudes beliefs, and practices underlying DOA use, which were analyzed with qualitative methods. We enrolled 171 participants that endorsed DOA use at the festivals. Most were experienced DOA users, who perceived minimal risks associated with DOA and NPS use. Nearly all unanimously reported normalization of DOA at music festivals. Participants popularly cited empathogenic, entactogenic, and entheogenic effects of DOA as their primary motivations for use. NPS use was endorsed by 39.8% (n = 68) of respondents, all of whom identified as being experienced DOA users. This population of novel psychoactive substance users is primarily composed of experienced drug users that endorsed use because of low cost, minimal perceived risk, accessibility, and normalization of drug use at music festivals.

  6. Drugs of Abuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances at Outdoor Music Festivals in Colorado

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fox, Jacob; Smith, Alexis; Yale, Alexander; Chow, Christopher; Alaswad, Elsa; Cushing, Tracy; Monte, Andrew A.

    2017-01-01

    Background Drugs of abuse (DOA) are widely used in the United States and are ubiquitous at outdoor music festivals. Attendees at music festivals are at high-risk for novel psychoactive substance (NPS) use, which is becoming more prevalent worldwide. No U.S. studies have employed an qualitative approach to investigate the etiologies of both traditional DOA and NPS use amongst music festival attendees. Objectives The objective of this study was to improve understanding of the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices of festival attendees using NPS and DOA. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews of 171 attendees during the Sonic Bloom and Arise music festivals in Colorado in 2015 and 2016. Discrete variables were summarized with descriptive statistics. The anonymous, multi-domain interview documented the knowledge, attitudes beliefs, and practices underlying DOA use, which were analyzed with qualitative methods. Results We enrolled 171 participants that endorsed DOA use at the festivals. Most were experienced DOA users, who perceived minimal risks associated with DOA and NPS use. Nearly all unanimously reported normalization of DOA at music festivals. Participants popularly cited empathogenic, entactogenic, and entheogenic effects of DOA as their primary motivations for use. NPS use was endorsed by 39.8% (n = 68) of respondents, all of whom identified as being experienced DOA users. Conclusions This population of novel psychoactive substance users is primarily composed of experienced drug users that endorsed use because of low cost, minimal perceived risk, accessibility, and normalization of drug use at music festivals. PMID:29148866

  7. [Pregnancy and psychoactives substances: prevalence study based on the declared consumption].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dumas, A; Lejeune, C; Simmat-Durand, L; Crenn-Hébert, C; Mandelbrot, L

    2008-12-01

    Evaluate substance use (tobacco, alcohol, psychotropic drugs, illicit drugs) declared before and during pregnancy. Two hundred and forty-five pregnant women were interviewed through a self-administered and anonymous questionnaire as they were going to a prenatal consultation in a maternity hospital in the Parisian area. Before pregnancy, 16.3% of women reported smoking and 10.2% carried on smoking during pregnancy. Altogether, 40.8% of women reported alcohol consumption before pregnancy; 25.3% of women had contact with alcohol during pregnancy; 4.5% reported tobacco and alcohol consumption during pregnancy. During the month preceding the study, the consumption of psychotropic drugs (hypnotics, antidepressants or sedatives) was reported by 3.7% of women and that of marijuana by 2.4%. Moreover, the marijuana consumers, who tend to drink alcohol more often, combine important social and familial difficulties and represent a high-risk group. Tobacco and alcohol use in this study were lower than in any previously conducted French surveys. Methodological specificities and cultural factors might explain those results. However, this is the first study that asses substance use and marijuana use, in particular, by French pregnant women.

  8. A critical examination of the definition of 'psychoactive effect' in Australian drug legislation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barratt, Monica J; Seear, Kate; Lancaster, Kari

    2017-02-01

    As the number of new 'psychoactive substances' detected globally has risen exponentially, the policy response of assessing and prohibiting each new substance individually has become increasingly unworkable. In an attempt to disrupt the availability of new as-yet-unscheduled substances, Ireland (2010), Poland (2011), Romania (2012), New Zealand (2013), Australia (2015) and the United Kingdom (2016) have enacted generic or blanket ban legislation that prohibits all 'psychoactive substances' that are not already regulated or belong to exempt categories. How such generic legislation defines 'psychoactive substance' is therefore crucial. While there is a growing critical literature relating to blanket bans of 'psychoactive substances', the Australian legislation is yet to be described or critically analysed. In this commentary, we aim to draw the attention of local and international drug policy scholars to Australia's newest legislative approach to 'psychoactive substances'. Using the Australian experience as a case study, we first describe and trace the origins of this generic banning approach, especially focusing on how 'psychoactive effect' came to be defined. Then, we critically examine the assumptions underpinning this definition and the possibilities silenced by it, drawing on the work of poststructuralist and critical scholars. In doing so, we explore and raise a series of questions about how this legislation works to stabilise drugs, drug harms and drug effects, as well as addiction realities; how the category of 'psychoactive substances' is produced through this legislation; and some of the material-discursive effects which accompany this rendering of the 'problem'. We offer this commentary not as a comprehensive discussion of each of these elements but rather as a starting-point to promote further discussion and debate within the drug policy field. To this end, we conclude with a suggested research agenda that may help guide such future work. Copyright © 2016

  9. Modern representations about differential diagnosis of schizophrenia-like psychosis disorders due to psychoactive substance use

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. V. Chugunov

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available In recent years in the world there is a tendency of quantity of persons who use drugs increase. Free availability of drugs of different groups for population is the main cause. Another trend associated with the consumption of drugs. All these factors led to the increased frequency of psychosis occurrence among consumers of psychoactive substances. In structure of such psychosis there are a variety of symptoms and syndromes. And since the number of drug users is quite broad in its structure - there are also persons with mental illness. This gives number of diagnostic difficulties. In this regard, the aim of the study was to trace the modern ideas of differential diagnosis of schizophrenia-like psychosis disorders due to the drug use. Materials and methods of research. In this work the content analysis of the modern representations of differential diagnosis of schizophrenia-like psychosis disorders as a result of the use of psychoactive substances was made. The problem of determination of primary and secondary nature of drug addiction in patients with psychotic disorders was indicated. Etiology and psychopathogenesis hypotheses of the addiction from psychoactive substances in the context of their correlation with endogenous mental pathology were defined. In the literature there is no clear diagnostic criteria that would allow distinguishing psychosis due to the use of drugs and endogenous psychosis, which is combined with the admission medicines. However, the attention of clinicians should be concentrated on the premorbid condition: the presence of hereditary family history, pathological behavior in childhood and adolescence. It was found that the majority of substances may cause one or more syndromes - delirium, dementia, and amnestic syndrome, delusional syndrome, hallucinatory syndrome, depressive syndrome, anxiety, and personality disorder, such disorders as schizophrenia-like psychosis disorders are not rare. Special attention was paid to the

  10. Life History Strategy and Young Adult Substance Use

    OpenAIRE

    George B. Richardson; Ching-Chen Chen; Chia-Liang Dai; Patrick H. Hardesty; Christopher M. Swoboda

    2014-01-01

    This study tested whether life history strategy (LHS) and its intergenerational transmission could explain young adult use of common psychoactive substances. We tested a sequential structural equation model using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. During young adulthood, fast LHS explained 61% of the variance in overall liability for substance use. Faster parent LHS predicted poorer health and lesser alcohol use, greater neuroticism and cigarette smoking, but did not predict...

  11. Specificity of genetic and environmental risk factors for symptoms of cannabis, cocaine, alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine dependence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kendler, Kenneth S; Myers, John; Prescott, Carol A

    2007-11-01

    Although genetic risk factors have been found to contribute to dependence on both licit and illicit psychoactive substances, we know little of how these risk factors interrelate. To clarify the structure of genetic and environmental risk factors for symptoms of dependence on cannabis, cocaine, alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine in males and females. Lifetime history by structured clinical interview. General community. Four thousand eight hundred sixty-five members of male-male and female-female pairs from the Virginia Adult Twin Study of Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders. Main Outcome Measure Lifetime symptoms of abuse of and dependence on cannabis, cocaine, alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. Controlling for greater symptom prevalence in males, genetic and environmental parameters could be equated across sexes. Two models explained the data well. The best-fit exploratory model contained 2 genetic factors and 1 individual environmental factor contributing to all substances. The first genetic factor loaded strongly on cocaine and cannabis dependence; the second, on alcohol and nicotine dependence. Nicotine and caffeine had high substance-specific genetic effects. A confirmatory model, which also fit well, contained 1 illicit drug genetic factor--loading only on cannabis and cocaine--and 1 licit drug genetic factor loading on alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. However, these factors were highly intercorrelated (r = + 0.82). Large substance-specific genetic effects remained for nicotine and caffeine. The pattern of genetic and environmental risk factors for psychoactive substance dependence was similar in males and females. Genetic risk factors for dependence on common psychoactive substances cannot be explained by a single factor. Rather, 2 genetic factors-one predisposing largely to illicit drug dependence, the other primarily to licit drug dependence-are needed. Furthermore, a large proportion of the genetic influences on nicotine and particularly caffeine dependence

  12. Estudio sobre el consumo de sustancias psicoactivas en niños entre 10 y 12 años: Estado del arte y resultados preliminares Study on the use of psychoactive substances in children between 10 and 12 years old: State of the art and preliminary results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelo Juan Grigoravicius

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Se presentan los resultados preliminares de la primera etapa de una investigación multidimensional sobre el consumo de sustancias psicoactivas. Se indagaron niños entre 10 y 12 años provenientes de familias con escasos recursos económicos y que concurren a una escuela pública del sur del conurbano bonaerense. Asimismo, se indagaron sus actitudes, valores y creencias hacia dichas sustancias. Metodología: Muestra: niños y niñas de 10 a 12 años que asisten a dicha escuela pública. n= 162; Varones n=61; Mujeres n= 101. Instrumentos: CORIN (conducta de riesgo en niños, Fuente: CONICET. Protocolo de datos sociodemográficos. Resultados y Conclusiones: El 46,3% de los niños manifiesta haber consumido alcohol y el 7,4% tabaco. Se concluye que las sustancias legales, principalmente el alcohol, se consumen y toleran en mayor proporción que las ilegales. Asimismo, se observa una discordancia entre las creencias y valores de los niños respecto del alcohol y sus conductas hacia esta sustancia.This paper presents the preliminary results from the first stage of a multidimensional research about the psychoactive substances use. Children between 10 and 12 years old were investigated. All of them belong to low socioeconomic status families and attend to public schools in the south of Buenos Aires province. Also, their attitudes, values and beliefs towards psychoactive substances were investigated. Methods: Sample: boys and girls between 10 and 12 years old attending to a public school. N=162; boys n= 61; girls n=101. Intruments: CORIN (risk behavior in children, source: CONICET; and Sociodemographic data protocol. Results and conclusions: The 46,3% of the children reports to have consumed alcohol and the 7,4% reports to have consumed tobacco. It is concluded that legal substances, specially alcohol, are consumed and tolerated better than illegal ones. Also, there is a dissonance between beliefs and values in children regarding to alcohol and their

  13. User-generated alcohol-related content on social media. Determinants and relation to offline alcohol use

    OpenAIRE

    Erevik, Eilin Kristine

    2018-01-01

    Alcohol is the most commonly used psychoactive substance worldwide. It is considered to increase social cohesion, and to play a part both in the development and expression of identity. Alcohol is, however, also associated with a range of adverse effects for the individual, and involves a great financial and social burden for society. Social media has currently become very popular commodity for social bonding, identity formation and expression, and social influence. This thesis consists of thr...

  14. The Dynamic Environment of Crypto Markets: The Lifespan of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS and Vendors Selling NPS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elle Wadsworth

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The Internet has played a major role in the distribution of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS, and crypto markets are increasingly used for the anonymous sale of drugs, including NPS. This study explores the availability of individual NPS and vendors on the crypto markets and considers whether crypto markets are a reliable platform for the sale of NPS. Data was collected from 22 crypto markets that were accessed through the hidden web using the Onion Router (Tor. Data collection took place bimonthly from October 2015 to October 2016 as part of the CASSANDRA (Computer Assisted Solutions for Studying the Availability aNd DistRibution of novel psychoActive substances project. In seven snapshots over 12 months, 808 unique vendors were found selling 256 unique NPS. The total number of individual NPS and vendors increased across the data collection period (increase of 93.6% and 71.6%, respectively. Only 24% (n = 61 of the total number of NPS and 4% (n = 31 of vendors appeared in every snapshot over the 12 months, whereas 21% (n = 54 of NPS and 45% (n = 365 of vendors only appeared once throughout the data collection. The individual NPS and vendors did not remain the same over the 12 months. However, the availability of NPS and vendors selling NPS grew. NPS consistently available on crypto markets could indicate popular substances.

  15. Using Internet Snapshot Surveys to Enhance Our Understanding of the Availability of the Novel Psychoactive Substance 4-Methylaminorex and 4,4′-Dimethylaminorex

    OpenAIRE

    Nizar, Hisham; Dargan, Paul I.; Wood, David M.

    2014-01-01

    4,4′-Dimethylaminorex is a stimulant novel psychoactive substance (NPS) first detected in Europe in November 2012. It is a derivative of 4-methylaminorex, a substance controlled under Schedule 1 of the 1971 United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances. There is currently no information on the availability or cost of these substances from Internet suppliers. An Internet snapshot study was undertaken in English using established European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (E...

  16. Life history strategy and young adult substance use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, George B; Chen, Ching-Chen; Dai, Chia-Liang; Swoboda, Christopher M

    2014-11-03

    This study tested whether life history strategy (LHS) and its intergenerational transmission could explain young adult use of common psychoactive substances. We tested a sequential structural equation model using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. During young adulthood, fast LHS explained 61% of the variance in overall liability for substance use. Faster parent LHS predicted poorer health and lesser alcohol use, greater neuroticism and cigarette smoking, but did not predict fast LHS or overall liability for substance use among young adults. Young adult neuroticism was independent of substance use controlling for fast LHS. The surprising finding of independence between parent and child LHS casts some uncertainty upon the identity of the parent and child LHS variables. Fast LHS may be the primary driver of young adult use of common psychoactive substances. However, it is possible that the young adult fast LHS variable is better defined as young adult mating competition. We discuss our findings in depth, chart out some intriguing new directions for life history research that may clarify the dimensionality of LHS and its mediation of the intergenerational transmission of substance use, and discuss implications for substance abuse prevention and treatment.

  17. Life History Strategy and Young Adult Substance Use

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    George B. Richardson

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available This study tested whether life history strategy (LHS and its intergenerational transmission could explain young adult use of common psychoactive substances. We tested a sequential structural equation model using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. During young adulthood, fast LHS explained 61% of the variance in overall liability for substance use. Faster parent LHS predicted poorer health and lesser alcohol use, greater neuroticism and cigarette smoking, but did not predict fast LHS or overall liability for substance use among young adults. Young adult neuroticism was independent of substance use controlling for fast LHS. The surprising finding of independence between parent and child LHS casts some uncertainty upon the identity of the parent and child LHS variables. Fast LHS may be the primary driver of young adult use of common psychoactive substances. However, it is possible that the young adult fast LHS variable is better defined as young adult mating competition. We discuss our findings in depth, chart out some intriguing new directions for life history research that may clarify the dimensionality of LHS and its mediation of the intergenerational transmission of substance use, and discuss implications for substance abuse prevention and treatment.

  18. A European study on alcohol and drug use among young drivers: the TEND by Night study design and methodology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siliquini Roberta

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Young individuals are the age group with the highest risk of car accidents. One of main explanations relies on the use of psychoactive substances (alcohol, illegal and medicinal drugs, which are known to be major risk factors of road accidents, and whose consumption is almost universally more common among younger drivers. Although the correlation between psychoactive substances use and decrease in driving performance has been established in controlled experimental or laboratory settings, few studies were conducted in naturalistic circumstances. The TEND by Night project has been designed to evaluate the relationship between driving performance and psychoactive substances assumption in young drivers enrolled at typical places of consumption. Methods/Design The TEND by Night project, endorsed by the European Commission, is a multidisciplinary, multi-centric, cross-sectional study conducted in six European countries (Italy, Belgium/Netherlands, Bulgaria, Spain, Poland and Latvia. The study population consists of 5000 young drivers aged 16-34 years, attending recreational sites during weekend nights. The intervention is based on the portal survey technique and includes several steps at the entrance and exit of selected sites, including the administration of semi-structured questionnaires, breath alcohol test, several drug assumption test, and measurement of the reaction time using a driving simulator. The main outcome is the difference in reaction time between the entrance and exit of the recreation site, and its correlation with psychoactive substances use. As a secondary outcome it will be explored the relationship between reaction time difference and the amount of consumption of each substance. All analyses will be multivariate. Discussion The project methodology should provide some relevant advantages over traditional survey systems. The main strengths of the study include the large and multicentric sample, the objective

  19. The Consumption of New Psychoactive Substances and Methamphetamine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Matos, Elena Gomes; Hannemann, Tessa-Virginia; Atzendorf, Josefine; Kraus, Ludwig; Piontek, Daniela

    2018-01-26

    The abuse of new psychoactive substances (NPS) and methamphetamine has severe adverse effects. Here we provide the first report of regional patterns in NPS and methamphetamine consumption in Germany, on the basis of epidemiologic data from six federal states (Bavaria, Hamburg, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, and Thuringia). Data were derived from the 2015 Epidemiological Survey of Substance Abuse (Epidemiologischer Suchtsurvey) and supplemented with additional cases from the federal states that were studied. The numbers of persons included in the representative samples of persons aged 18 to 64 in each state were 1916 (Bavaria), 1125 (Hamburg), 1151 (Hesse), 2008 (North Rhine-Westphalia), 1897 (Saxony), and 1543 (Thuringia). Potential risk factors for the lifetime prevalence of consumption were studied by logistic regression. The lifetime prevalence of methamphetamine consumption in the individual states ranged from 0.3% (North Rhine-Westphalia) to 2.0% (Saxony). Thuringia and Saxony displayed values that were significantly higher than average. For NPS, the figures ranged from 2.2% (Bavaria) to 3.9% (Hamburg), but multivariate analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between the states. Higher age and higher educational level were associated with lower consumption of NPS and methamphetamine, while smoking and cannabis use were each associated with higher consumption. NPS consumption is equally widespread in all of the federal states studied. Methamphetamine is rarely consumed; its consumption appears to be higher in Saxony and Thuringia. The risk factor analysis reported here should be interpreted cautiously in view of the low case numbers with respect to consumption.

  20. The Psychoactive Effects of Psychiatric Medication: The Elephant in the Room

    OpenAIRE

    Moncrieff, J; Cohen, D; Porter, S

    2013-01-01

    The psychoactive effects of psychiatric medications have been obscured by the presumption that these medications have disease-specific actions. Exploiting the parallels with the psychoactive effects and uses of recreational substances helps to highlight the psychoactive properties of psychiatric medications and their impact on people with psychiatric problems. We discuss how psychoactive effects produced by different drugs prescribed in psychiatric practice might modify various disturbing and...

  1. Parallel artificial liquid membrane extraction of new psychoactive substances in plasma and whole blood

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vårdal, Linda; Askildsen, Hilde-Merete; Gjelstad, Astrid

    2017-01-01

    Parallel artificial liquid membrane extraction (PALME) was combined with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS) and the potential for screening of new psychoactive substances (NPS) was investigated for the first time. PALME was performed in 96-well format...... comprising a donor plate, a supported liquid membrane (SLM), and an acceptor plate. Uncharged NPS were extracted from plasma or whole blood, across an organic SLM, and into an aqueous acceptor solution, facilitated by a pH gradient. MDAI (5,6-methylenedioxy-2-aminoindane), methylone, PFA (para...

  2. Prevalence of alcohol and drug consumption and knowledge of drug/alcohol-related sexual assaults among Italian adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio Villa

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Alcohol is the most widely used substance among adolescents, exceeding the use of tobacco and illicit drugs. The study aims at investigating the prevalence of alcohol and drug use and prevalence and knowledge of Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault (DFSA among Italian adolescents. Methods: The study population was a sample of 512 students of secondary education (high school from 3 public schools in Milan, Italy. Two hundred and fourty-nine boys and 263 girls aged 15 to 21 years old (M = 16.2, SD = 2.1 answered a specially structured anonymous questionnaire. Results: Recent problem drinking (‘every day’ or ‘once a week’ was reported from 9% (‘wine’ up to 28% (‘beer’ of students. Cannabis and rave drugs usage (ranged from ‘every day’ to ‘once only in a while’ were reported by up to 38% (‘cannabis’ and 2% (‘rave drugs’ of students. Beer was the most popular type of alcoholic beverage (81% with respect to wine (62% and hard liquor (66%. Only a small percentage of participants stated that they were informed about the possible addiction to alcohol (5% and its negative social consequences (3%. Nevertheless, almost all the students (92% declared that alcohol consumption was less dangerous than other psychoactive substances. Finally, most students stated to know DFSA phenomenon (77% and were victims or witness (13% of a DFSA event. Conclusion: Psychoactive substances consumption remains a serious problem among Italian adolescents. For a successful alcohol strategy there is a need to implement preventive measures and counseling approaches in school. Increasing the knowledge of the negative effects of alcohol/drugs use might also lead to a better prevention of the DFSA phenomenon.

  3. Gender differences in alcohol and substance use relapse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walitzer, Kimberly S; Dearing, Ronda L

    2006-03-01

    This review explores gender differences in relapse and characteristics of relapse events in alcohol and substance use. For alcohol, relapse rates were similar across gender. Although negative mood, childhood sexual abuse, alcohol-related self-efficacy, and poorer coping strategies predicted alcohol relapse, gender did not moderate these effects. Gender did moderate the association between marriage and alcohol relapse. For women, marriage and marital stress were risk factors for alcohol relapse; among men, marriage lowered relapse risk. This gender difference in the role of marriage in relapse may be a result of partner differences in problem drinking. Alcoholic women are more likely to be married to heavy drinking partners than are alcoholic men; thus, alcoholic women may be put at risk of relapse by marriage and alcoholic men may be protected by marriage. There are fewer studies documenting gender differences in substance abuse relapse so conclusions are limited and tentative. In contrast to the lack of gender differences in alcohol relapse rates, women appear less likely to experience relapse to substance use, relative to men. Women relapsing to substance use appear to be more sensitive to negative affect and interpersonal problems. Men, in contrast, may be more likely to have positive experiences prior to relapse.

  4. The relationship between physical maltreatment and substance use among adolescents: a survey of 95,788 adolescents in Hong Kong.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lau, Joseph T F; Kim, Jean H; Tsui, Hi-Yi; Cheung, Albert; Lau, Mason; Yu, Aaron

    2005-08-01

    To determine the prevalence of corporal punishment and the infliction of injuries from a beating occurring without provocation in the previous 6 months among secondary school children in Hong Kong, and to examine the associations between these two forms of physical maltreatment with substance-use-related behaviors and attitudes. Using secondary data, a cross-sectional, self-administered, anonymous survey of 95,788 secondary school students was conducted in Hong Kong. The prevalence of physical maltreatment showed statistically significant associations with younger age, attendance in Chinese-speaking day schools, temporary housing, residence with only one parent, poorer parental relationship, greater peer influence, perceptions of excessive academic pressure, and feelings of being blamed for poor academic performance. Adolescents who had experienced corporal punishment were more likely to be current users of alcohol (OR = 1.11), tobacco (OR = 1.31), psychoactive substances (OR = 1.60), or heroin (OR = 1.90). Those who had been beaten to injury by a family member without provocation within the past 6 months also were more likely to be current users of alcohol (OR = 1.35), tobacco (OR = 1.65), psychoactive substances (OR = 2.39), and heroin (OR = 3.07). Additionally, students who experienced physical maltreatment were more likely to be acquainted with habitual substance users, have better access to psychoactive substances, to have engaged in sex after abusing drugs, have obtained money from illegal sources to purchase drugs, and believe that psychoactive substances are not harmful or addictive. Physical maltreatment showed strong associations with drug-related behaviors and attitudes, after adjusting for potential confounders. Further longitudinal studies are required to understand the causal direction of the relationship.

  5. Risk of injury by driving with alcohol and other drugs. Driving under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines DRUID, Deliverable 2.3.5.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hels, T. Bernhoft, I.M. Lyckegaard, A. Houwing, S. Hagenzieker, M.P. Legrand, S.-A. Isalberti, C. Van der Linden, T. & Verstraete, A.

    2011-01-01

    The objective of this deliverable is to assess the risk of driving with alcohol, illicit drugs and medicines in various European countries. In total nine countries participated in the study on relative risk of serious injury/fatality while positive for psychoactive substances. Six countries

  6. The challenge of a ban on animal testing for the development of a regulated legal market for new psychoactive substances (NPS) ('legal highs') in New Zealand: Issues and options for resolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rychert, Marta; Wilkins, Chris

    2015-12-01

    In mid-July 2013, New Zealand passed the Psychoactive Substances Act (PSA), which allowed 'low risk' psychoactive products ('legal highs') to be approved for legal sale. In early May 2014, following public protest, the Psychoactive Substances Amendment Act (PSAA) was passed banning animal testing of psychoactive products, potentially making the new regime unworkable. To investigate strategies to overcome the impasse created by the animal testing ban. Solutions to the impasse were investigated using 'scenario' and 'stakeholder' analysis. Legislation, parliamentary debates, and regulatory statements related to the PSA and animal testing were reviewed. Strategies to resolve the impasse were discussed with stakeholders including the Psychoactive Substances Regulatory Authority (PSRA) officials, health officials, a legal high industry lawyer, and a leading legal highs manufacturer. This process generated six possible scenarios and five decision-making criteria of key importance to major stakeholders. Scenarios were then evaluated based on feedback from the industry and regulators. The six scenarios were: (1) pragmatic modification of the animal testing ban; (2) waiting until new non-animal test models are internationally accepted; (3) use of non-validated replacement test methods; (4) judicial challenge of the animal testing ban; (5) 'creative compliance' by only presenting human clinical trial results; and (6) philosophical re-conceptualisation of the 'benefits' from psychoactive products. Options 1 and 5 appear to be the most attractive overall solutions. However, both rely on a new political consensus and astute framing of the issues by political communicators. Political decision makers may be happy to accept Scenario 2 which would impose significant delays. A 'failed' pharmaceutical product with psychoactive effects may have the test data required to be approved under Scenarios 1 and 5. Ultimately, the pleasurable benefits from psychoactive products may need to be

  7. Underestimated impact of novel psychoactive substances: laboratory confirmation of recreational drug toxicity in Oslo, Norway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vallersnes, Odd Martin; Persett, Per Sverre; Øiestad, Elisabeth Leere; Karinen, Ritva; Heyerdahl, Fridtjof; Hovda, Knut Erik

    2017-08-01

    Recreational drug toxicity is frequent. Availability of new psychoactive substances is steadily increasing. However, data with verified analyses from clinical settings are limited. To evaluate the impact of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) on recreational drug toxicity in Oslo, Norway, we analysed samples from a selection of patients. All the patients presenting with recreational drug toxicity at the Oslo Accident and Emergency Outpatient Clinic (OAEOC) and at the Oslo University Hospital (OUH) were registered from April through September 2014. Oral fluid samples were collected at the OAEOC. Blood samples were collected at the OUH. The samples were screened using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Nine hundred and sixty-four cases were included, 841 (87.2%) at the OAEOC and 123 (12.8%) at the OUH. A total of 55 oral fluid samples (OAEOC) and 103 blood samples (OUH) could be analysed. NPS were not clinically suspected in any of the screened cases. At the outpatient clinic, the most commonly found substances were clonazepam in 42/55 (76.4%) cases, amfetamines in 40/55 (72.7%) and heroin in 39/55 (70.9%). In seven (12.7%) cases NPS were detected: 4-methylamfetamine in three cases, dimethyltryptamine in two, methylone in one, and N,N-dimethyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamfetamine in one. Among the hospital patients, the most commonly found substances were clonazepam in 51/103 (49.5%) cases, amfetamines in 48/103 (46.6%), heroin in 31/103 (30.1%), and diazepam in 30/103 (29.1%). In five (4.9%) cases NPS were detected: JWH-210 in two cases, AM-2201 in two, and 5-EAPB in one. NPS were clinically not suspected, though found in eight percent of cases. Still, the vast majority of patients treated for recreational drug toxicity in Oslo have taken classical drugs. Management of these patients should be based on their clinical condition. However, it is highly important to be alert to atypical presentations possibly resulting from

  8. Herbal Highs: Review on Psychoactive Effects and Neuropharmacology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graziano, Silvia; Orsolini, Laura; Rotolo, Maria Concetta; Tittarelli, Roberta; Schifano, Fabrizio; Pichini, Simona

    2017-01-01

    A new trend among users of new psychoactive substances' the consumption of "herbal highs": plant parts containing psychoactive substances. Most of the substances extracted from herbs, in old centuries were at the centre of religious ceremonies of ancient civilizations. Currently, these herbal products are mainly sold by internet web sites and easily obtained since some of them have no legal restriction. We reviewed psychoactive effects and neuropharmacology of the most used "herbal highs" with characterized active principles, with studies reporting mechanisms of action, pharmacological and subjective effects, eventual secondary effects including intoxications and/or fatalities Method: The PubMed database was searched using the following key.words: herbal highs, Argyreia nervosa, Ipomoea violacea and Rivea corymbosa; Catha edulis; Datura stramonium; Piper methysticum; Mitragyna speciosa. Psychoactive plants here reviewed have been known and used from ancient times, even if for some of them limited information still exist regarding subjective and neuropharmacological effects and consequent eventual toxicity when plants are used alone or in combination with "classical" drugs of abuse. Some "herbal highs" should be classified as harmful drugs since chronic administration has been linked with addiction and cognitive impairment; for some others taking into consideration only the recent trends of abuse, studies investigating these aspects are lacking. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  9. Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS): a Study on Persian Language Websites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bigdeli, Imanollah; Corazza, Ornella; Aslanpour, Zoe; Schifano, Fabrizio

    2013-01-01

    During the past few years, there has been an increasing recognition that Internet is playing a significant role in the synthesis, the distribution and the consumption of Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS).The aim of this study was to assess the online availability of NPS in Persian language websites. The Google search engine was used to carry out an accurate qualitative assessment of information available on NPS in a sample of 104 websites. The monitoring has led to the identification of 14 NPS including herbal, synthetic, pharmaceutical and combination drugs that have been sold online. The availability of online marketing of NPS in Persian language websites may constitute a public health challenge at least across three Farsi-speaking countries in the Middle East. Hence, descriptions of this phenomenon are valuable to clinicians and health professional in this region. Further international collaborative efforts may be able to tackle the growth and expansion of regular offer of NPS.

  10. Influence of drugs of abuse and alcohol upon patients admitted to acute psychiatric wards: physician's assessment compared to blood drug concentrations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mordal, Jon; Medhus, Sigrid; Holm, Bjørn; Mørland, Jørg; Bramness, Jørgen G

    2013-06-01

    In acute psychiatric services, rapid and accurate detection of psychoactive substance intake may be required for appropriate diagnosis and intervention. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between (a) drug influence as assessed by physicians and (b) blood drug concentrations among patients admitted to acute psychiatric wards. We also explored the possible effects of age, sex, and psychotic symptoms on physician's assessment of drug influence. In a cross-sectional study, the sample comprised 271 consecutive admissions from 2 acute psychiatric wards. At admission, the physician on call performed an overall judgment of drug influence. Psychotic symptoms were assessed with the positive subscale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Blood samples were screened for a wide range of psychoactive substances, and quantitative results were used to calculate blood drug concentration scores. Patients were judged as being under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol in 28% of the 271 admissions. Psychoactive substances were detected in 56% of the blood samples. Altogether, 15 different substances were found; up to 8 substances were found in samples from 1 patient. Markedly elevated blood drug concentration scores were estimated for 15% of the patients. Physician's assessment was positively related to the blood drug concentration scores (r = 0.52; P < 0.001), to symptoms of excitement, and to the detection of alcohol, cannabis, and amphetamines. The study demonstrates the major impact of alcohol and drugs in acute psychiatric settings and illustrates the challenging nature of the initial clinical assessment.

  11. Disorders Related to Use of Psychoactive Substances in DSM-5: Changes and Challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhad, Roshan; Lal, Rakesh; Balhara, Yatan Pal Singh

    2015-01-01

    In the most recent edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) that is DSM-5 many modifications have been made in substance use disorder section. These include changes in terminology; sections and categories; diagnostic criteria; threshold for diagnosis; severity; and specifier. Additionally, there have been certain additions and omissions from the earlier version. Critical evaluation of the changes made to the section on disorders related to use of psychoactive substances in India context has not been published so far. The current paper presents a critique of the changes made to the substance use disorder section in DSM-5. The rationale for these changes put forth by DSM-5 work group on substance related disorders have been discussed. Additionally, attempt has been made to highlight the possible future challenges consequent to the current nosological revision for substance use disorder category. Overall DSM-5 seems to be promising in fulfilling its goal of DSM-ICD harmonisation and movement towards an internationally compatible and practical diagnostic system for mental health disorders. It has increased the scope of addiction by inclusion of behavioural addiction. It has also tried to balance the categorical and dimensional approach to diagnosis. However, the real test of this newer edition of one of the most commonly used nosological systems will be during clinical care and research. This will help address the debatable issues regarding the changes that DSM-5 brings with it.

  12. Substance use disorders in adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a 4-year follow-up study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groenman, A.P.; Oosterlaan, J.; Rommelse, N.; Franke, B.; Roeyers, H.; Oades, R.D.; Sergeant, J.A.; Buitelaar, J.K.; Faraone, S.V.

    2013-01-01

    AIM: To examine the relationship between a childhood diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with or without oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)/conduct disorder (CD) and the development of later alcohol/drug use disorder [psychoactive substance use disorder (PSUD)] and nicotine

  13. Substance use disorders in adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a 4-year follow-up study.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groenman, A.P.; Oosterlaan, J.; Rommelse, N.; Franke, B.; Roeyers, H.; Oades, R.D.; Sergeant, J.A.; Buitelaar, J.; Faraone, S.V.

    2013-01-01

    Aim: To examine the relationship between a childhood diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with or without oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)/conduct disorder (CD) and the development of later alcohol/drug use disorder [psychoactive substance use disorder (PSUD)] and nicotine

  14. Opioids in the Frame of New Psychoactive Substances Network: A Complex Pharmacological and Toxicological Issue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ventura, Ludovic; Carvalho, Felix; Dinis-Oliveira, Ricardo Jorge

    2018-01-01

    New psychoactive substances (NPS), often referred to as "legal highs" or "designer drugs", are derivatives and analogues of existing psychoactive drugs that are introduced in the recreational market to circumvent existing legislation on drugs of abuse. This systematic review aims to gather the state of the art regarding chemical, molecular pharmacology and toxicological information of opioid class of NPS. Chemical, pharmacological, toxicological and clinical effects of opioid class of NPS were searched in books and in PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) without a limiting period. Within this class, fentanyl analogues are among the most frequently abused and pose several clinical concerns and therefore will be thoroughly discussed. Other opioid sub-categories of NPS frequently misused include AH-7921, MT-45, U-47700, U-50488, desomorphine, mitragynine, tramadol, tapentadol, salvinorin A and its analogue herkinorin. Due to inefficient monitoring techniques, as well as limited knowledge regarding the acute and long-term effects of opioids NPS, further clinical and forensic toxicological studies are required. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  15. Understanding the development of a regulated market approach to new psychoactive substances (NPS) in New Zealand using Punctuated Equilibrium Theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rychert, Marta; Wilkins, Chris

    2018-05-09

    The short-lived regulated legal market for new psychoactive substances (NPS) in New Zealand marked a radical departure from the traditional prohibition-based approach to drugs. This paper aimed to enhance understanding of this policy change using Punctuated Equilibrium Theory (PET). The analysis draws on 3 years of evaluative research, including interviews with key stakeholders, analysis of legislation and policy documents and academic and grey literature. The reframing of the NPS issue from one of drug control to the need for stricter market regulation was achieved by the efforts of strategic policy entrepreneurs, including the legal high industry, drug law reform advocates, influential politicians and an independent legal advisory institution. This reframing was aided by the perceived saliency of the NPS problem and ineffectiveness of previous prohibition-based responses. In the absence of any political opposition to the regulatory approach, the Psychoactive Substances Act rapidly progressed through the Parliament. However, once the interim legal market was established, portrayal of the issues shifted away from experts and lobbyists to critique from local communities, local government, animal rights activists and the media, who viewed the new regime as a source of social and health problems. The mobilization of criticism ('Schattschneider mobilization') drew on ideas of animal welfare and community safety. With a looming national election, the government responded by ending the interim market with the urgent passage of amendment legislation. Punctuated Equilibrium Theory (PET) helps explain how New Zealand's Psychoactive Substances Act (PSA) policy first emerged on the political agenda and how the initial positive tone of expert support for reform shifted to a tide of popular criticism during the interim regime. However, with its emphasis on explaining agenda-setting, PET does not account for the legislative design shortcomings of the PSA. © 2018 Society for

  16. Age of First Use as a Predictor of Current Alcohol and Marijuana Use among College-Bound Emerging Adults

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergen-Cico, Dessa K.; Lape, Megan E.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Alcohol and marijuana are the most commonly used psychoactive substances; however, the sequencing and relationship between age of first use and continued current problematic use among college-bound emerging adults is not well understood. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of current and historical alcohol and marijuana use among…

  17. Substance use and social, health and safety-related factors among fatally injured drivers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karjalainen, Karoliina; Blencowe, Tom; Lillsunde, Pirjo

    2012-03-01

    The aim of this study was to examine different socio-demographic, health and safety-related factors, and psychoactive substance use among fatally injured drivers in road traffic accidents in Finland during 2006-2008. An accident information register maintained by the Traffic Safety Committee of Insurance Companies (VALT) of the Finnish Motor Insurers' Centre was used as basic data, and the basic data were complemented with further toxicological analytical information retrieved from autopsy reports from the Department of Forensic Medicine, Helsinki University. The data included all the drivers (n=556) who were driving a motor vehicle and who died in a road traffic accident in Finland during 2006-2008. Of all the 556 fatally injured drivers 43% (n=238) had psychoactive substance findings. 51% (n=121) of substance positive drivers had a finding for alcohol only, the rest had a finding for one or more illicit/medicinal drugs impairing driving ability, and possibly also alcohol. Fatally injured drivers with alcohol findings were significantly younger (mean age 34 years) than sober drivers (mean age 44 years) or drivers with findings for drugs (mean age 45 years). Socio-demographic background did not differ substantially among drunken/drugged and sober drivers, although drivers with alcohol findings had a slightly lower education and socioeconomic position. Previous substance abuse problems were highly prevalent among drivers with substance findings and mental or both mental and physical health problems were more common among drivers with drug findings. The non-use of safety equipment and driving at a high speed were more common among fatally injured drivers with substance findings. Substance abuse and mental health problems, as well as reckless driving behavior were more pronounced among fatally injured drivers with substance findings when compared to sober drivers. Thus, prevention and early intervention concerning substance abuse, mental health problems and DUI are

  18. Are there any potentially dangerous pharmacological effects of combining ADHD medication with alcohol and drugs of abuse? A systematic review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barkla, Xanthe M; McArdle, Paul A; Newbury-Birch, Dorothy

    2015-10-30

    Among young people up to 18 years of age, approximately 5% have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), many of whom have symptoms persisting into adulthood. ADHD is associated with increased risk of co-morbid psychiatric disorders, including substance misuse. Many will be prescribed medication, namely methylphenidate, atomoxetine, dexamphetamine and lisdexamfetamine. If so, it is important to know if interactions exist and if they are potentially toxic. Three databases (Medline, EMBASE and PsychINFO) from a 22 year period (1992 - June 2014) were searched systematically. Key search terms included alcohol, substance related disorders, methylphenidate, atomoxetine, dexamphetamine, lisdexamfetamine, and death, which identified 493 citations (344 after removal of duplicates). The eligibility of each study was assessed jointly by two investigators, leaving 20 relevant articles. We identified only a minimal increase in side-effects when ADHD medication (therapeutic doses) was taken with alcohol. None of the reviewed studies showed severe sequelae among those who had overdosed on ADHD medication and other coingestants, including alcohol. The numbers across all the papers studied remain too low to exclude uncommon effects. Also, studies of combined effects with novel psychoactive substances have not yet appeared in the literature. Nevertheless, no serious sequelae were identified from combining ADHD medication with alcohol/illicit substances from the pre-novel psychoactive substance era.

  19. Identification of novel psychoactive drug use in Sweden based on laboratory analysis--initial experiences from the STRIDA project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helander, Anders; Beck, Olof; Hägerkvist, Robert; Hultén, Peter

    2013-08-01

    The study aimed to collect information concerning the increasing use of new psychoactive substances, commonly sold through online shops as 'Internet drugs' or 'legal highs', or in terms of masked products such as 'bath salts' and 'plant food'. The Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Laboratory and the Swedish Poisons Information Centre have initiated a project called 'STRIDA' aiming to monitor the occurrence and trends of new psychoactive substances in Sweden, and collect information about their clinical symptoms, toxicity and associated health risks. A liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) multi-component method has been developed, currently allowing for the determination of > 80 novel psychoactive compounds or metabolites thereof. This study focused mainly on the particular drug substances identified and the population demographics of the initial STRIDA cases. In urine and/or blood samples obtained from 103 consecutive cases of admitted or suspected recreational drug intoxications in mostly young subjects (78% were ≤ 25 years, and 81% were males) presenting at emergency departments all over the country, psychoactive substances were detected in 82%. The substances comprised synthetic cannabinoids ('Spice'; JWH analogues), substituted cathinones ('bath salts'; e.g. butylone, MDPV and methylone) and tryptamines (4-HO-MET), plant-based substances (mitragynine and psilocin), as well as conventional drugs-of-abuse. In 44% of the cases, more than one new psychoactive substance, or a mixture of new and/or conventional drugs were detected. The initial results of the STRIDA project have documented use of a broad variety of new psychoactive substances among mainly young people all over Sweden.

  20. INVESTIGATION ON THE USE OF PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE AMONG SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ZHEJIANG PROVINCE%浙江省高中学生精神活性物质使用情况调查

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    赵婷婷; 徐翔; 楼洪刚

    2011-01-01

    Objective:To understand the status of psychoactive substance use among senior high school students in Zhejiang Province, and provide evidence for developing health education and effective prevention strategies on psychoactive substance use. Methods: Standardized sample selection process of cluster - sampling was used in 3472 students chosen randomly from senior high school students in Zhejiang Province. Results: Altogether 3215 valid questionnaires were returned. Among the 3215 students,24.0% used tobacco while 68.9% drunk alcohol,and 1.4% used sedative -hypnotics (46 students) , 0.9% used amphetamine - type stimulants or volatile solvent and narcotics(29 students). Family relations,educational style, school achievements,sleep quality and time of Internet use were influencing factors on student use of tobacco and alcohol. Conclusion; Use of psychoactive substance among senior high school students is common,which should attract extensive attention of families, schools and society as whole. And proper intervention should be implemented to prevent and control their unhealthy behaviors.%目的:了解浙江省高中生精神活性物质使用情况,为预防控制精神活性物质滥用行为提供依据.方法:采用随机整体抽样法对浙江省3472名高中生进行调查.结果:共回收有效问卷3215份,24.0%的调查对象尝试过吸烟,68.9%尝试过饮酒,1.4%使用过镇静催眠药(46人),0.9%使用过苯丙胺类中枢兴奋剂或挥发性溶剂或毒品(29人).家庭因素、教育方式、学生成绩、睡眠情况以及上网时间等均对学生吸烟饮酒的比例有很大影响.结论:高中学生中普遍存在精神活性物质滥用行为,应引起家庭、学校和社会的高度重视,采取有针对性的干预措施,以控制该类行为的蔓延.

  1. The Experience Elicited by Hallucinogens Presents the Highest Similarity to Dreaming within a Large Database of Psychoactive Substance Reports

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanz, Camila; Zamberlan, Federico; Erowid, Earth; Erowid, Fire; Tagliazucchi, Enzo

    2018-01-01

    Ever since the modern rediscovery of psychedelic substances by Western society, several authors have independently proposed that their effects bear a high resemblance to the dreams and dreamlike experiences occurring naturally during the sleep-wake cycle. Recent studies in humans have provided neurophysiological evidence supporting this hypothesis. However, a rigorous comparative analysis of the phenomenology (“what it feels like” to experience these states) is currently lacking. We investigated the semantic similarity between a large number of subjective reports of psychoactive substances and reports of high/low lucidity dreams, and found that the highest-ranking substance in terms of the similarity to high lucidity dreams was the serotonergic psychedelic lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), whereas the highest-ranking in terms of the similarity to dreams of low lucidity were plants of the Datura genus, rich in deliriant tropane alkaloids. Conversely, sedatives, stimulants, antipsychotics, and antidepressants comprised most of the lowest-ranking substances. An analysis of the most frequent words in the subjective reports of dreams and hallucinogens revealed that terms associated with perception (“see,” “visual,” “face,” “reality,” “color”), emotion (“fear”), setting (“outside,” “inside,” “street,” “front,” “behind”) and relatives (“mom,” “dad,” “brother,” “parent,” “family”) were the most prevalent across both experiences. In summary, we applied novel quantitative analyses to a large volume of empirical data to confirm the hypothesis that, among all psychoactive substances, hallucinogen drugs elicit experiences with the highest semantic similarity to those of dreams. Our results and the associated methodological developments open the way to study the comparative phenomenology of different altered states of consciousness and its relationship with non-invasive measurements of brain physiology. PMID

  2. The Experience Elicited by Hallucinogens Presents the Highest Similarity to Dreaming within a Large Database of Psychoactive Substance Reports

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Camila Sanz

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Ever since the modern rediscovery of psychedelic substances by Western society, several authors have independently proposed that their effects bear a high resemblance to the dreams and dreamlike experiences occurring naturally during the sleep-wake cycle. Recent studies in humans have provided neurophysiological evidence supporting this hypothesis. However, a rigorous comparative analysis of the phenomenology (“what it feels like” to experience these states is currently lacking. We investigated the semantic similarity between a large number of subjective reports of psychoactive substances and reports of high/low lucidity dreams, and found that the highest-ranking substance in terms of the similarity to high lucidity dreams was the serotonergic psychedelic lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD, whereas the highest-ranking in terms of the similarity to dreams of low lucidity were plants of the Datura genus, rich in deliriant tropane alkaloids. Conversely, sedatives, stimulants, antipsychotics, and antidepressants comprised most of the lowest-ranking substances. An analysis of the most frequent words in the subjective reports of dreams and hallucinogens revealed that terms associated with perception (“see,” “visual,” “face,” “reality,” “color”, emotion (“fear”, setting (“outside,” “inside,” “street,” “front,” “behind” and relatives (“mom,” “dad,” “brother,” “parent,” “family” were the most prevalent across both experiences. In summary, we applied novel quantitative analyses to a large volume of empirical data to confirm the hypothesis that, among all psychoactive substances, hallucinogen drugs elicit experiences with the highest semantic similarity to those of dreams. Our results and the associated methodological developments open the way to study the comparative phenomenology of different altered states of consciousness and its relationship with non-invasive measurements of brain

  3. A market on both "sides" of the law: The use of the hidden web for the sale of new psychoactive substances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wadsworth, Elle; Drummond, Colin; Kimergård, Andreas; Deluca, Paolo

    2017-05-01

    The hidden Web is used for the anonymous sale of drugs, and with the UK Psychoactive Substances Act, 2016, implemented on May 26th 2016; it could increase as a platform for obtaining new psychoactive substances (NPS). This study aims to describe the NPS market on the visible and hidden Web preban, and assess whether the hidden Web is a likely place for the sale of NPS postban. Data collection of 113 online shops took place in October 2015. Data collection of 22 cryptomarkets took place every 2 months from October 2015 to 2016 as part of the CASSANDRA project. All online shops with a UK domain location sold NPS that were uncontrolled by the UK Misuse of Drugs Act, 1971, and closed after the ban. Of the cryptomarkets analysed, the total number of vendors selling NPS, number of substances, and listings advertised, all increased over the year. The majority of the NPS advertised on the hidden Web were phenethylamines and cathinones, yet the majority of uncontrolled NPS were synthetic cannabinoids. Vendors selling and availability of NPS increased over the 12 months of data collection. Potential displacement from the visible Web to hidden Web should be taken into consideration. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  4. Binge drinking and psychoactive drug use in a cohort of European youths

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberta Siliquini

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Background. TEN-D by Night is an international, multicentre, cross-sectional portal survey conducted on a large sample of young people in six European countries. This paper aims to investigate the alcohol and psychoactive drug consumption of this sample, with a focus on the prevalence of binge drinking and the poly-drug habits of the TEN-D cohort. Design and Methods. The study population consisted of 4695 young people attending recreational sites on weekend nights. The intervention included two questionnaires and two psychoactive substance detection tests performed at the entry and exit of the recreational sites. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to predict the probability of binge drinking. Results. Binge drinking was reported by 20% of the males and 13% of the females (P=0.001 before entry into the recreational sites and by 18% of the males and 11% of the females before entry into the clubs (P<0.001. Poly-drug use was reported by 71% of the males and 66% of the females. Living with a parent (OR 1.57; P=0.01, seeking employment (OR 1.66; P=0.005 and cannabis consumption (several times per month and several times per week, OR 1.94 and 3.66, respectively, P<0.05 were associated with binge drinking. Conclusions. Our survey showed that it is possible to identify individuals and groups at higher risk of binge drinking. This identification would allow for a focus on specific targets and would facilitate the redesign of prevention programmes. The increased use of psychoactive substances among youths should be studied extensively to promote successful prevention campaigns.

  5. The Dynamic Environment of Crypto Markets: The Lifespan of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) and Vendors Selling NPS

    OpenAIRE

    Elle Wadsworth; Colin Drummond; Paolo Deluca

    2018-01-01

    The Internet has played a major role in the distribution of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), and crypto markets are increasingly used for the anonymous sale of drugs, including NPS. This study explores the availability of individual NPS and vendors on the crypto markets and considers whether crypto markets are a reliable platform for the sale of NPS. Data was collected from 22 crypto markets that were accessed through the hidden web using the Onion Router (Tor). Data collection took place b...

  6. Forensic electrochemistry: indirect electrochemical sensing of the components of the new psychoactive substance "Synthacaine".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cumba, Loanda R; Kolliopoulos, Athanasios V; Smith, Jamie P; Thompson, Paul D; Evans, Peter R; Sutcliffe, Oliver B; do Carmo, Devaney R; Banks, Craig E

    2015-08-21

    "Synthacaine" is a New Psychoactive Substance which is, due to its inherent psychoactive properties, reported to imitate the effects of cocaine and is therefore consequently branded as "legal cocaine". The only analytical approach reported to date for the sensing of "Synthacaine" is mass spectrometry. In this paper, we explore and evaluate a range of potential analytical techniques for its quantification and potential use in the field screening "Synthacaine" using Raman spectroscopy, presumptive (colour) testing, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and electrochemistry. HPLC analysis of street samples reveals that "Synthacaine" comprises a mixture of methiopropamine (MPA) and 2-aminoindane (2-AI). Raman spectroscopy and presumptive (colour) tests, the Marquis, Mandelin, Simon's and Robadope test, are evaluated towards a potential in-the-field screening approach but are found to not be able to discriminate between the two when they are both present in the same sample, as is the case in the real street samples. We report for the first time a novel indirect electrochemical protocol for the sensing of MPA and 2-AI which is independently validated in street samples with HPLC. This novel electrochemical approach based upon one-shot disposable cost effective screen-printed graphite macroelectrodes holds potential for in-the-field screening for "Synthacaine".

  7. Effects of prenatal alcohol and cigarette exposure on offspring substance use in multiplex, alcohol-dependent families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Brien, Jessica W; Hill, Shirley Y

    2014-12-01

    Prenatal exposures to alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs of abuse are associated with numerous adverse consequences for affected offspring, including increased risk for substance use and abuse. However, maternal substance use during pregnancy appears to occur more often in those with a family history of alcohol dependence. Utilizing a sample that is enriched for familial alcohol dependence and includes controls selected for virtual absence of familial alcohol dependence could provide important information on the relative contribution of familial risk and prenatal exposures to offspring substance use. A sample of multigenerational families specifically ascertained to be at either high or low risk for developing alcohol dependence (AD) provided biological offspring for a longitudinal prospective study. High-risk families were selected based on the presence of 2 alcohol-dependent sisters. Low-risk families were selected on the basis of minimal first and second-degree relatives with AD. High-risk (HR = 99) and Low-risk offspring (LR = 110) were assessed annually during childhood and biennially in young adulthood regarding their alcohol, drug, and cigarette use. At the first childhood visit, mothers were interviewed concerning their prenatal use of substances. High-risk mothers were more likely to use alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs during pregnancy than low-risk control mothers, and to consume these substances in greater quantities. Across the sample, prenatal exposure to alcohol was associated with increased risk for both offspring cigarette use and substance use disorders (SUD), and prenatal cigarette exposure was associated with increased risk for offspring cigarette use. Controlling for risk status by examining patterns within the HR sample, prenatal cigarette exposure remained a specific predictor of offspring cigarette use, and prenatal alcohol exposure was specifically associated with increased risk for offspring SUD. Women with a family history of

  8. Use of licit and illicit substances among adolescents in Brazil--a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madruga, Clarice S; Laranjeira, Ronaldo; Caetano, Raul; Pinsky, Ilana; Zaleski, Marcos; Ferri, Cleusa P

    2012-10-01

    We estimate the prevalence of alcohol, tobacco and illegal substance use in a national representative sample of adolescents. We also estimate how socio demographic characteristics, household environment and mental health are associated with substance misuse. This is a cross-sectional study using data from the first Brazilian National Alcohol Survey, which gathered information on the use of psychoactive substances in 761 participants aged 14 to 19 years old. Weighted logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios. More than half of the adolescents interviewed were regular alcohol users and one out of ten were abusers and/or dependents. Older male adolescents living in urban areas were more likely to present alcohol related disorders and to smoke. Age had an inverse association with illegal substance use. Smokers and those using illegal substances were more likely to report domestic violence while those with alcohol abuse/dependence were more likely to have depression. The high prevalence of alcohol, tobacco and illicit substance consumption among Brazilian adolescents is staggering. Young males with mood disorders from urban areas are more at risk of developing alcohol disorders while illegal drug use is highly associated to household dysfunction in early life. Brazilian growing economy will possibly lead to increased levels of substance use among adolescents if new prevention measures are not implemented. The intensification of law enforcement strategies to reduce psychotropic substances access is required. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Consumo de sustancias psicoactivas y expectativas hacia el alcohol en niños escolarizados entre 8 y 12 años Consumption of psychoactive substances and expectancies towards alcohol in school children between 8 and 12 years old

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelo Grigoravicius

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Se presenta un proyecto de investigación UBACYT en curso (programación 2010/12 cuyo propósito es indagar la existencia del consumo de sustancias psicoactivas e identificar y analizar actitudes, valores y creencias hacia el uso y abuso de dichas sustancias en niños y niñas escolarizados entre 8 y 12 años de edad. Asimismo, se propone identificar y analizar las expectativas de los niños, específicamente hacia el alcohol. Se comparan una población clínica y una población no clínica de niños. Se propone continuar y profundizar indagaciones anteriores, incluyendo a niños de edades menores a las estudiadas tradicionalmente. La muestra de población clínica está conformada por los niños que reciben psicoterapia en una unidad de docencia en servicio de la Facultad de Psicología de la U.B.A. La muestra de población no-clínica está conformada por niños que concurren a diversas instituciones educativas. Se administran el CORIN, el CEA-N y un protocolo de datos sociodemográficos.The purpose of this proyect is to inquire into the existence of psychoactive substances consumption and to identify and analyse attitudes, values and believes regarding use and abuse of such substances in school children between 8 and 12 years old. Furthermore, identify and analyse children's expectancies, especially towards alcohol. Regarding the objective of this study, a comparison between a clinical and a non clinical sample of children will be done. The purpose is to continue and go deeply into previous investigations on this problem expanding the age range of the sample including younger children than the ones traditionally studied. The clinical sample will be composed of children who recieve psychotherapy in a Child Clinical Psychology Unit that depends on Facultad de Psicología, UBA. The non clinical sample will be composed of non consultant children that attend to different educational institutions. The CORIN, the CEA-N and sociodemographic data

  10. Novel psychoactive substances: overdose of 3-fluorophenmetrazine (3-FPM) and etizolam in a 33-year-old man.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benesch, Matthew G K; Iqbal, Sahar J

    2018-06-08

    Though illegal in the UK, in many countries novel psychoactive substances are quasi-legal synthetic compounds that are widely available online under the guise of research chemicals. These substances are relatively cheap and are often undetectable in standard drug screens. Nearly 200 such compounds are introduced yearly, and little is usually known about their metabolism or physiological effects. Consequently, managing patients in overdose situations on largely unknown substances usually involves supportive care, however anticipating and managing atypical side effects are challenging in the absence of knowledge of these compounds. In this report, we discuss our encounter with a 33-year-old unconscious man presenting with coingestion of a novel stimulant 3-fluorophenmetrazine with a rarely used benzodiazepine etizolam. This patient developed seizure-like activity and delayed widespread T-wave inversions, both of which ultimately resolved without sequelae. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  11. Novel Psychoactive Substances-Recent Progress on Neuropharmacological Mechanisms of Action for Selected Drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hassan, Zurina; Bosch, Oliver G; Singh, Darshan; Narayanan, Suresh; Kasinather, B Vicknasingam; Seifritz, Erich; Kornhuber, Johannes; Quednow, Boris B; Müller, Christian P

    2017-01-01

    A feature of human culture is that we can learn to consume chemical compounds, derived from natural plants or synthetic fabrication, for their psychoactive effects. These drugs change the mental state and/or the behavioral performance of an individual and can be instrumentalized for various purposes. After the emergence of a novel psychoactive substance (NPS) and a period of experimental consumption, personal and medical benefits and harm potential of the NPS can be estimated on evidence base. This may lead to a legal classification of the NPS, which may range from limited medical use, controlled availability up to a complete ban of the drug form publically accepted use. With these measures, however, a drug does not disappear, but frequently continues to be used, which eventually allows an even better estimate of the drug's properties. Thus, only in rare cases, there is a final verdict that is no more questioned. Instead, the view on a drug can change from tolerable to harmful but may also involve the new establishment of a desired medical application to a previously harmful drug. Here, we provide a summary review on a number of NPS for which the neuropharmacological evaluation has made important progress in recent years. They include mitragynine ("Kratom"), synthetic cannabinoids (e.g., "Spice"), dimethyltryptamine and novel serotonergic hallucinogens, the cathinones mephedrone and methylone, ketamine and novel dissociative drugs, γ-hydroxybutyrate, γ-butyrolactone, and 1,4-butanediol. This review shows not only emerging harm potentials but also some potential medical applications.

  12. [Betel - the fourth most popular substance in the world].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zdrojewicz, Zygmunt; Kosowski, Wojciech; Królikowska, Natalia; Stebnicki, Marek; Stebnicki, Michał R

    2015-09-01

    Betel is a kind of substance for chewing, that is made from piper betle, areca nuts and other, additional constituents. It is the fourth most popular psychoactive substance in the world, right after caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. It is particularly famous in Asia. Betel chewing induces euphoria and it is addictive. Similarly like in other substances such as nicotine or alcohol, betel also has detrimental effects. It causes e.g. oral cancer and cancer of the oesophagus, it contributes to the development of metabolic syndrome, liver cirrhosis and chronic kidney disease. There are also positive effects of chewing betel, because is has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antyparasitic and antiseptic properties. The aim of this paper was to expand knowledge about betel and its both: positive and negative influence on human health. In this article original and review papers associated with the topic were used. © 2015 MEDPRESS.

  13. Analysis of psychoactive substances in water by information dependent acquisition on a hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrés-Costa, María Jesús; Andreu, Vicente; Picó, Yolanda

    2016-08-26

    Emerging drugs of abuse, belonging to many different chemical classes, are attracting users with promises of "legal" highs and easy access via internet. Prevalence of their consumption and abuse through wastewater-based epidemiology can only be realized if a suitable analytical screening procedure exists to detect and quantify them in water. Solid-phase extraction and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqTOF-MS/MS) was applied for rapid suspect screening as well as for the quantitative determination of 42 illicit drugs and metabolites in water. Using this platform, we were able to identify amphetamines, tryptamines, piperazines, pyrrolidinophenones, arylcyclohexylamines, cocainics, opioids and cannabinoids. Additionally, paracetamol, carbamazepine, ibersartan, valsartan, sulfamethoxazole, terbumeton, diuron, etc. (including degradation products as 3-hydroxy carbamazepine or deethylterbuthylazine) were detected. This method encompasses easy sample preparation and rapid identification of psychoactive drugs against a database that cover more than 2000 compounds that ionized in positive mode, and possibility to identify metabolites and degradation products as well as unknown compounds. The method for river water, influent and effluents samples was fully validated for the target psychoactive substances including assessment of matrix effects (-88-67.8%), recovery (42-115%), precision (psychoactive drugs biomarkers and other water contaminants is demonstrated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Relationship of alexithymia to personality styles in people dependent on psychoactive substance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roman Procházka

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The addiction to psychoactive drugs still remains among the relevant research topics. The research herein focuses on the study and analysis of the relations among the alexithymia, and personality styles. The analyses of such psychological constructs may represent valuable views beneficial for the progress in the up-to-date addictology. The article deals with a number of topics, such as, definition of alexithymia, the issue of addictology and personality aspects.. The applied statistical methods are descriptive statistics, factor analysis, non-parametric Spearman's correlation analysis and Mann-Whitney U Test. The reason for choosing the non-parametric statistics has been the conclusion of the normality test pointing at the fact that the acquired data had not complied with the normal distribution assumption. The data collection methods were questionnaires TAS-20 (Toronto Alexithymia Scale to measure alexithymia, and PSSI (Personality Style and Disorder Inventory. The gross sample under research was represented by 55 probands, namely 14 women and 41 men. The data were collected in the Psychiatric Hospital of Marianna Oranžská in Bílá Voda. The obtained results enabled us to answer the postulated research questions, which were evaluated and the following conclusions were reached: In people addicted to alcohol alexithymia occurs in 41.83 %. In subjects addicted to psychoactive drugs with alexithymia there is a substantial difference in the personality styles of a schizoid, obsessive-compulsive, avoidant, negativistic, borderline, histrionic, and self-defeating type. We believe that in this field of research there is still a huge gap to be filled, and we hope that the research may help to do so by enriching the knowledge with concrete results.

  15. Systematic analytical characterization of new psychoactive substances: A case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lobo Vicente, Joana; Chassaigne, Hubert; Holland, Margaret V; Reniero, Fabiano; Kolář, Kamil; Tirendi, Salvatore; Vandecasteele, Ine; Vinckier, Inge; Guillou, Claude

    2016-08-01

    New psychoactive substances (NPS) are synthesized compounds that are not usually covered by European and/or international laws. With a slight alteration in the chemical structure of existing illegal substances registered in the European Union (EU), these NPS circumvent existing controls and are thus referred to as "legal highs". They are becoming increasingly available and can easily be purchased through both the internet and other means (smart shops). Thus, it is essential that the identification of NPS keeps up with this rapidly evolving market. In this case study, the Belgian Customs authorities apprehended a parcel, originating from China, containing two samples, declared as being "white pigments". For routine identification, the Belgian Customs Laboratory first analysed both samples by gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry and Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy. The information obtained by these techniques is essential and can give an indication of the chemical structure of an unknown substance but not the complete identification of its structure. To bridge this gap, scientific and technical support is ensured by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) to the European Commission Directorate General for Taxation and Customs Unions (DG TAXUD) and the Customs Laboratory European Network (CLEN) through an Administrative Arrangement for fast recognition of NPS and identification of unknown chemicals. The samples were sent to the JRC for a complete characterization using advanced techniques and chemoinformatic tools. The aim of this study was also to encourage the development of a science-based policy driven approach on NPS. These samples were fully characterized and identified as 5F-AMB and PX-3 using (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high-resolution tandem mass-spectrometry (HR-MS/MS) and Raman spectroscopy. A chemoinformatic platform was used to manage, unify analytical data from multiple techniques and instruments, and combine it with chemical and

  16. Perceived harmfulness of substance use: A pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siddharth Sarkar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Harm ratings of substances help in understanding the perception toward substance use and formulating policies. Evidence of such harm ratings by substance users and their caregivers provides a clearer perspective of those who experience and observe such harm closely. Materials and Methods: Substance users and their caregivers were recruited from the Drug De-addiction and Treatment Centre of PGIMER, Chandigarh. Sociodemographic details of the subjects were noted. The subjects were then asked to rate a list of psychoactive preparations according to the harms they thought the preparation caused. The list of substances was developed taking into consideration substance commonly encountered in the geographical area. The harm ratings were transformed on a scale of 0-100. Results: All subjects were males and majority of them were educated above 10 th standard, were not employed and belonged to urban background. Most of them had taken psychoactive substances in their lifetimes but were currently abstinent. Most of the subjects endorsed intravenous drugs as the most harmful, followed by heroin. Beer and chewable tobacco considered the least harmful substances. Greater degree of education was associated with lower harm rankings for heroin, cannabis, dextropropoxyphene, and raw opium; while urban residence was associated with greater harm ratings for cannabis and raw opium. Differences in the harms were perceived for different preparations of the same active compound for alcohol and nicotine. Conclusion: Harm ratings of substances can be a useful guide while formulating policies and allocating resources. Need for further research extending this pilot study is emphasized.

  17. Family history density of substance use problems among undergraduate college students: Associations with heavy alcohol use and alcohol use disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powers, Gregory; Berger, Lisa; Fuhrmann, Daniel; Fendrich, Michael

    2017-08-01

    A family history of alcoholism has been found associated with problematic alcohol use among college students, but less research has examined the effects of family history density of substance use problems in this population. This study examined the prevalence of family history density of substance use problems and its associations with heavy alcohol use, negative alcohol consequences, and alcohol use disorder in a college sample. Based on a secondary analysis of a probability sample, data were analyzed from 606 undergraduate students. Family history density of substance use problems included both first and second degree biological relatives. Heavy alcohol use was the total number of days in which participants drank five/four or more drinks for men/women, negative alcohol consequences were derived from items commonly asked in college student surveys, and an alcohol use disorder was defined as meeting diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence. Point prevalence estimated rates of family history density of substance use problems, and negative binomial, ANCOVA, and logistic regression models examined associations between family history density and the alcohol variables while adjusting for sociodemographic variables. Family history density of substance use problems was not significantly associated with total days of heavy alcohol use. Having a second degree, a first degree, or both a first and second degree relative(s) with a substance use problem, however, was significantly associated with experiencing negative alcohol consequences. In addition, having both a first and second degree relative(s) with a substance use problem significantly increased the odds of having an alcohol use disorder. Family history density of substance use problems may play a role in experiencing negative alcohol consequences and in having an alcohol use disorder among undergraduate college students and may be an important risk factor to assess by college health professionals. Copyright

  18. Analysis of new psychoactive substances in human urine by ultra-high performance supercritical fluid and liquid chromatography: Validation and comparison.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borovcová, Lucie; Pauk, Volodymyr; Lemr, Karel

    2018-05-01

    New psychoactive substances represent serious social and health problem as tens of new compounds are detected in Europe annually. They often show structural proximity or even isomerism, which complicates their analysis. Two methods based on ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography and ultra high performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection were validated and compared. A simple dilute-filter-and-shoot protocol utilizing propan-2-ol or methanol for supercritical fluid or liquid chromatography, respectively, was proposed to detect and quantify 15 cathinones and phenethylamines in human urine. Both methods offered fast separation (chromatography. Limits of detection in urine ranged from 0.01 to 2.3 ng/mL, except for cathinone (5 ng/mL) in supercritical fluid chromatography. Nevertheless, this technique distinguished all analytes including four pairs of isomers, while liquid chromatography was unable to resolve fluoromethcathinone regioisomers. Concerning matrix effects and recoveries, supercritical fluid chromatography produced more uniform results for different compounds and at different concentration levels. This work demonstrates the performance and reliability of supercritical fluid chromatography and corroborates its applicability as an alternative tool for analysis of new psychoactive substances in biological matrixes. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. New challenges and innovation in forensic toxicology: focus on the "New Psychoactive Substances".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Favretto, Donata; Pascali, Jennifer P; Tagliaro, Franco

    2013-04-26

    In the recent years, new molecules have appeared in the illicit market, claimed to contain "non-illegal" compounds, although exhibiting important psychoactive effects; this heterogeneous and rapidly evolving class of compounds are commonly known as "New Psychoactive Substances" or, less properly, "Smart Drugs" and are easily distributed through the e-commerce or in the so-called "Smart Shops". They include, among other, synthetic cannabinoids, cathinones and tryptamine analogs of psylocin. Whereas cases of intoxication and death have been reported, the phenomenon appears to be largely underestimated and is a matter of concern for Public Health. One of the major points of concern depends on the substantial ineffectiveness of the current methods of toxicological screening of biological samples to identify the new compounds entering the market. These limitations emphasize an urgent need to increase the screening capabilities of the toxicology laboratories, and to develop rapid, versatile yet specific assays able to identify new molecules. The most recent advances in mass spectrometry technology, introducing instruments capable of detecting hundreds of compounds at nanomolar concentrations, are expected to give a fundamental contribution to broaden the diagnostic spectrum of the toxicological screening to include not only all these continuously changing molecules but also their metabolites. In the present paper a critical overview of the opportunities, strengths and limitations of some of the newest analytical approaches is provided, with a particular attention to liquid phase separation techniques coupled to high accuracy, high resolution mass spectrometry. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Frequency of alcohol use among elementary school pupils at Belgrade territory

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    Pavlović Zorana

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Alcoholism is one of the most frequent modern diseases. These kinds of epidemiological studies have not been carried out in this country at a global level. Objective The aim of the study was to establish the spread of alcohol abuse among the young regarding the sex, and find the connection between the alcohol abuse and the consumption of drugs and cigarettes. Methods The study was carried out among the elementary school pupils of the seventh and eighth grade in the area of Belgrade from October 2003 to January 2004. Total of 457 pupils were involved; 229 (50.1% were boys and 228 (49.9% girls, aged 12-15 years, the average age being 13.4 years. The method used was the modified questionnaire European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs, which the pupils filled in individually, voluntarily and anonymously. χ2-test, Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney Logistic Regression Test were used in statistical processing of the data. Results Almost 70% of the examinees have tried alcohol. Most of the examinees had the first contact with alcohol at the age of 11. Half of our examinees got drunk at least once in their life and about one fifth more than 20 times. The binge form of consumption (five or more drinks in a row was evident in a quarter of our examinees. Our examinees use alcohol together with other psychoactive substances, mostly marijuana. It was observed that certain types of behavior, such as frequent going out in the evening, were directly related to the abuse of alcohol. Conclusion Two thirds of the examinees have tried alcohol. The first contact with alcohol is shifted to an earlier age (11 years. New trends of alcohol abuse have been noticed, such as binge form of consumption and the connection of use with other psychoactive substances. .

  1. Deep brain stimulation in addiction due to psychoactive substance use.

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    Kuhn, Jens; Bührle, Christian P; Lenartz, Doris; Sturm, Volker

    2013-01-01

    Addiction is one of the most challenging health problems. It is associated with enormous individual distress and tremendous socioeconomic consequences. Unfortunately, its underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, and pharmacological, psychological, or social interventions often fail to achieve long-lasting remission. Next to genetic, social, and contextual factors, a substance-induced dysfunction of the brain's reward system is considered a decisive factor for the establishment and maintenance of addiction. Due to its successful application and approval for several neurological disorders, deep brain stimulation (DBS) is known as a powerful tool for modulating dysregulated networks and has also been considered for substance addiction. Initial promising case reports of DBS in alcohol and heroin addiction in humans have recently been published. Likewise, results from animal studies mimicking different kinds of substance addiction point in a similar direction. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the published results on DBS in addiction, and to discuss whether these preliminary results justify further research, given the novelty of this treatment approach. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. 1-cyclohexyl-x-methoxybenzene derivatives, novel psychoactive substances seized on the internet market. Synthesis and in vivo pharmacological studies in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fantinati, Anna; Ossato, Andrea; Bianco, Sara; Canazza, Isabella; De Giorgio, Fabio; Trapella, Claudio; Marti, Matteo

    2017-05-01

    Among novel psychoactive substances notified to EMCDDA and Europol were 1-cyclohexyl-x-methoxybenzene stereoisomers (ortho, meta, and para). These substances share some structural characteristics with phencyclidine and tramadol. Nowadays, no information on the pharmacological and toxicological effects evoked by 1-cyclohexyl-x-methoxybenzene are reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect evoked by each one stereoisomer on visual stimulation, body temperature, acute thermal pain, and motor activity in mice. Mice were evaluated in behavioral tests carried out in a consecutive manner according to the following time scheme: observation of visual placing response, measures of core body temperature, determination of acute thermal pain, and stimulated motor activity. All three stereoisomers dose-dependent inhibit visual placing response (rank order: meta > ortho > para), induce hyperthermia at lower and hypothermia at higher doses (meta > ortho > para) and cause analgesia to thermal stimuli (para > meta = ortho), while they do not alter motor activity. For the first time, this study demonstrates that systemic administration of 1-cyclohexyl-x-methoxybenzene compounds markedly inhibit visual response, promote analgesia, and induce core temperature alterations in mice. This data, although obtained in animal model, suggest their possible hazard for human health (i.e., hyperthermia and sensorimotor alterations). In particular, these novel psychoactive substances may have a negative impact in many daily activities, greatly increasing the risk factors for workplace accidents and traffic injuries. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. The use of psychoactive substances by female Egyptian university students, compared with their male colleagues on selected items.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soueif, M I; Hannourah, M A; Darweesh, Z A; el-Sayed, A M; Yunis, F A; Taha, H S

    1987-05-01

    A standardized questionnaire, with satisfactory retake item reliabilities and well established validities, was administered to a representative sample of female university students (N = 2366), drawn from Cairo and Ein-Shams Universities, both located in Greater Cairo. Results, relevant to demographic and drug related items, are presented. Where meaningful, comparisons are made with previously published corresponding data obtained on male university students. Among the interesting findings are the following: Female students, compared with males, had better educated parents with jobs higher on social prestige hierarchy. But more boys than girls had personal sources of income and, relatively, big amounts of pocket money. Very few girls smoked cigarettes and used natural narcotics. Tranquilizers and hypnotics were taken by, almost, equal percentages of both sexes. But stimulants were consumed by more boys. Girls did not start experimentation with narcotics before the age of 16, whereas boys began such experimentation before reaching 12 years of age. Girls tried alcohol much more than they experimented with any other psychoactive substance. Among girls as well as boys we found a measurable trend for users to be more exposed than nonusers to what we call 'drug culture'. In the case of girls, close relatives have more weight than personal friends as sources of information about drugs. For boys, it is the opposite. Similarities as well as disparities were discussed and implications were emphasized.

  4. Uso de substâncias psicoativas entre estudantes de Goianá, MG Use of psychoactive substances among students from Goianá, MG, Brazil

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    Andréia Fernandes Teixeira

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo foi avaliar o consumo de substâncias psicoativas entre estudantes, do ensino fundamental e médio, da rede pública de ensino do município de Goianá, Minas Gerais. Foi realizado um estudo descritivo, transversal, utilizando um instrumento desenvolvido pela Organização Mundial da Saúde. Participaram 415 estudantes, 57,1% do Ensino Fundamental e 42,9% do Ensino Médio, sendo 49,4% do sexo feminino e 47,5% do masculino, predominando a faixa etária de 13 a 15 anos e a classe social C. O álcool foi a substância mais utilizada entre os jovens, tendo uso inicial precoce, assim como nos levantamentos nacionais. Sobre o uso na vida, as substâncias mais relatadas foram: solventes, anfetamínicos, ansiolíticos, maconha e alucinógenos. As mulheres apresentaram maior padrão de uso de substâncias psicoativas ilícitas na vida, no ano, no mês, uso freqüente e uso pesado. Em comparação com a capital mineira, foi observado um menor uso de maconha e cocaína entre os estudantes de Goianá. A pesquisa aponta a necessidade de formulação de políticas públicas, considerando particularidades locais e a importância de novos estudos que ampliem a discussão sobre o uso de substâncias psicoativas.The aim was to evaluate the prevalence of the consumption of psychoactive substances among students from the public school in Goianá, Minas Gerais. A descriptive, cross sectional study was performed using a structured questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization. The participants were 415 students, 57.1% were elementary school students and 42.9% were high school students. 49.4% were female and 47.5% were male. The majority of the students were 13-15 years old and from the C social class. Alcohol was the substance most frequently used among the young people (64.6%, as the prevalence founded in the national sample. The main used substances were: solvents (11.1%, amphetamines (2.9%, anxyolitics (2.9%, cannabis (2.7% and hallucinogens

  5. Association between personality traits and substance use in Spanish adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzálvez, María T; Espada, José P; Guillon-Riquelme, Alejandro; Secades, Roberto; Orgilés, Mireia

    2016-03-02

    Substance use is considered one of the most frequent risk behaviors during adolescence. Personality factors are linked to consumption during adolescence. Although there are studies on personality and consumption among Spanish adolescents, some outcomes are contradictory, and more studies including larger samples and using validated measures are needed. The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between different personality factors and substance use among Spanish adolescents. Participants were 1,455 students aged between 13-18 years. The adaptation of the 16PF-IPIP Personality Inventory was applied to assess Warmth, Stability, Gregariousness, Friendliness, Sensitivity, Trust, Openness to experience, Sociability, Perfectionism, and Calmness. Participants were asked about their different consumption substances during their lifetime. Results provide evidence for a relationship between personality factors and psychoactive substance use. There are different distributions of alcohol use regarding personality traits. Furthermore, personality factors have some influence on consumption of alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine.Trust and Calmness influence average alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine consumption, whereas Sociability had no statistically significant influence on any of the three substances. The results from this study are highly useful in the design of preventive programs, as they provide more evidence of the role of personality traits as a risk factor.

  6. Alcoholic ingestion and alcohol abuse in university students at Jequié-BA

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    Marcos Henrique Fernandes

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Epidemiologic researches about psychoactive substance use have shown an up-and-coming situation to abusive consumption of alcohol in adolescent and young-adult groups. This consumption over come the knowledge about damage caused by abusive of these substances, especially for the population part who is in the “top of life experiences”; the university students. Aim: To estimate the prevalence of the alcoholic ingestion and alcohol abuse in university students at Jequié-BA, and to verify the association between the alcoholic ingestion and alcohol abuse with the gender, race, smoking and graduation area. Methods: Prevalence study with probabilistic randomized sample (n = 129 of a population of 3,644 university students, registered in three universities. It was used a Questionnaire contends socio-demographic data, asking for the alcoholic ingestion and test CAGE to abuse. Results: It has been found prevalence of 63.6% to alcohol ingestion, 21.7% of high risk in abuse, and 8.5% of alcohol abuse. Although they have not been gotten association statistics between these variable and gender, race, graduation area and smoking; the data had demonstrated highest rates of alcohol abuse, and high risk in developing in students of masculine gender, medium brown race, who attend a graduation course in the health area. Those who have used of the tobacco had presented percentile greater of high risk in becoming alcohol consumer abusive. Conclusions: Intent for data found, as much alcohol ingestion as abuse, since they reflect the necessity of prevention politics to the alcoholic abusive ingestion in this population

  7. Psychoactive natural products: overview of recent developments

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    István Ujváry

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Natural psychoactive substances have fascinated the curious mind of shamans, artists, scholars and laymen since antiquity. During the twentieth century, the chemical composition of the most important psychoactive drugs, that is opium, cannabis, coca and "magic mushrooms", has been fully elucidated. The mode of action of the principal ingredients has also been deciphered at the molecular level. In the past two decades, the use of herbal drugs, such as kava, kratom and Salvia divinorum, began to spread beyond their traditional geographical and cultural boundaries. The aim of the present paper is to briefly summarize recent findings on the psychopharmacology of the most prominent psychoactive natural products. Current knowledge on a few lesser-known drugs, including bufotenine, glaucine, kava, betel, pituri, lettuce opium and kanna is also reviewed. In addition, selected cases of alleged natural (or semi-natural products are also mentioned.

  8. The prevalence and associated factors of new psychoactive substance use: A 2016 Thailand national household survey

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    Rungsiya Wonguppa

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Analyzing the situation and risk factors associated with using new psychoactive substances (NPS is essential for preventing and controlling health consequences. This study explored the prevalence and associated factors of NPS use in the Thai population. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in participants (N=30,411, mean age=42.4±13.4years, range=15–64years, 50.3% women from urban and rural areas of Thailand. The participants were chosen using multistage sampling for large populations. The data were collected in July–December 2016 and analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square, multiple logistic regression, and odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals (CI. Results: The prevalence of lifetime NPS use was 49.7% (95% CI, 49.1–51.3, past-year use was 31.3% (95% CI, 30.8–31.8, and current (past-month use was 14.9% (95% CI, 14.5–15.3. Among current users, 29.5% were habitual users (over 20days. The factors associated with current NPS use were sex (male/female (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.145; 95% CI, 1.075–1.221; p<0.001, age group (25–64/15–24years (AOR=1.126; 95% CI, 1.090–1.358; p<0.001, educational attainment (elementary or secondary education and higher (AOR=1.634; 95% CI, 1.529–1.747; p<0.001, and employment status (AOR=1.842; 95% CI, 1.683–2.016; p<0.001. Conclusions: The prevalence of NPS use in Thailand is high, which reflects abuse behavior that could potentially harm users. Understanding the prevalence and risk factors of NPS use could benefit policymakers. Keywords: Factor, New psychoactive substance, Prevalence, Thailand

  9. Impact of alcohol use on thyroid function

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    Yatan Pal Singh Balhara

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Alcohol is one of the commonest illicit psychoactive substances consumed globally and is the world′s third largest risk factor for disease and disability. It has been reported to have multiple effects on the hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid axis and the functioning of the thyroid gland. It has been reported to cause direct suppression of thyroid function by cellular toxicity, and indirect suppression by blunting thyrotropin-releasing hormone response. It causes a decrease of peripheral thyroid hormones during chronic use and in withdrawal. Alcohol use may also confer some protective effect against thyroid nodularity, goiter, and thyroid cancer. This article presents a review of the clinically relevant effects of alcohol on the functioning of the thyroid gland and also discusses the effect of medication used in treatment of alcohol dependence on thyroid function.

  10. The psychoactive effects of psychiatric medication: the elephant in the room.

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    Moncrieff, Joanna; Cohen, David; Porter, Sally

    2013-01-01

    The psychoactive effects of psychiatric medications have been obscured by the presumption that these medications have disease-specific actions. Exploiting the parallels with the psychoactive effects and uses of recreational substances helps to highlight the psychoactive properties of psychiatric medications and their impact on people with psychiatric problems. We discuss how psychoactive effects produced by different drugs prescribed in psychiatric practice might modify various disturbing and distressing symptoms, and we also consider the costs of these psychoactive effects on the mental well-being of the user. We examine the issue of dependence, and the need for support for people wishing to withdraw from psychiatric medication. We consider how the reality of psychoactive effects undermines the idea that psychiatric drugs work by targeting underlying disease processes, since psychoactive effects can themselves directly modify mental and behavioral symptoms and thus affect the results of placebo-controlled trials. These effects and their impact also raise questions about the validity and importance of modern diagnosis systems. Extensive research is needed to clarify the range of acute and longer-term mental, behavioral, and physical effects induced by psychiatric drugs, both during and after consumption and withdrawal, to enable users and prescribers to exploit their psychoactive effects judiciously in a safe and more informed manner.

  11. Current challenges and problems in the field of new psychoactive substances in Germany from a law enforcement perspective.

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    Duffert, Anna

    2014-01-01

    Over the last few years, a range of so-called new psychoactive substances (NPS) have established themselves on the German recreational drug scene, causing increased concern. At the same time, a great number of Internet shops have come into existence offering these substances for sale online, ensuring a high level of availability. A number of these substances derived from pharmaceutical research which did not result in marketing authorization, presumably due to unfavourable properties. There are hardly any reliable data on long-term health damage, addictive potential, and other aspects of these scientifically unexplored substances. A number of fatal intoxications have also become known. As a rule, the mostly young consumers do not know what substance they are taking and in what concentration, thus exposing themselves to incalculable health risks and consequences. The punishability of the handling of NPS depends on the actual content: the Narcotic Drugs Act (BtMG) is applicable if a product contains narcotic drugs. If similarly effective substances are contained, which are not classified as narcotic drugs, the (penal) provisions of the Medicinal Products Act might be applicable, if the product has a pharmaceutical effect. Experience gained so far has shown that manufacturers of these intoxicating substances react immediately to inclusions in the German BtMG and put new substances on the market which are chemically similar to the known substances thus circumventing legislation. In view of the immense variety of NPS and the enormous profits derived from their sale, an end to this development is not in sight. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Risk Competence in Dealing With Alcohol and Other Drugs in Adolescence.

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    Nagy, Ede; Verres, Rolf; Grevenstein, Dennis

    2017-12-06

    Adolescence is a critical phase for the development substance use patterns. We propose that individual competence in dealing with psychoactive substances is crucial for the development of healthy substance use behavior and prevention of substance misuse or addiction. We present a new concept of health related skills in dealing with alcohol and other drugs in adolescence, its operationalization and validation. Our conception of risk competence (RICO) consists of the four major factors being Reflective, Informed, Self-Controlled and Life-Oriented, and their sub-facets. Based on a sample of N = 753 adolescents we used classical test theory as well as item response theory to create a new measure of RICO. Validity was investigated in a new sample of N = 229 with regard to substance use, risk perception, and measures of personality (Big Five, sense of coherence, general self-efficacy). RICO contains 7 scales with 28 items that measure independent aspects of risk competence. Cross-sectional criterion validity for most of the scales could be shown. Conclusions/Importance: The new RICO scales are a valid measure of different aspects of risk competence in dealing with psychoactive substances. The questionnaire can be used in general research settings, but may also be applied to assess the effects of interventions.

  13. [Psychoactive drugs use and related visits of adolescents to the emergency department].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arias Constantí, Vanessa; Sanz Marcos, Nuria; Trenchs Sainz de La Maza, Victoria; Curcoy Barcenilla, Ana I; Matalí Costa, Josep; Luaces Cubells, Carles

    2010-05-08

    To describe psychoactive substances (PS)-related visits of adolescents to the emergency department and to explore possible differential features in patients according to the kind of PS consumed. Observational and analytic study. PS-related visits of adolescents to the emergency department during 30 months were studied. Patients were divided in two groups: those with alcohol intoxication only (Group_1) and those with other PS (Group_2) and they were compared. 333 consults were included, corresponding to 321 patients. Their mean age was 16,1 years (SD:1,1 years). Two hundred sixty-two(78,7%) were alcohol-related visits, and 110(33%) were related with another PS consumption. Of the 262 alcohol-related visits, 223 were only related with alcohol(Group_1), while the other 110 visits made up Group_2. Group_2 was composed of more males, more adolescents placed in Institutional Care and more adolescents with psychiatric records than Group_1. Likewise, distribution of Group_2 visits was less predictable than distribution of Group_1. PS consumption is a frequent major complaint in an Emergency Department. There are more poly-intoxications in males with psycho-social problems. In those cases, consumption seems to happen regardless of the time in the day or the day of the week.

  14. Using internet snapshot surveys to enhance our understanding of the availability of the novel psychoactive substance 4-methylaminorex and 4,4'-dimethylaminorex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nizar, Hisham; Dargan, Paul I; Wood, David M

    2015-03-01

    4,4'-Dimethylaminorex is a stimulant novel psychoactive substance (NPS) first detected in Europe in November 2012. It is a derivative of 4-methylaminorex, a substance controlled under Schedule 1 of the 1971 United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances. There is currently no information on the availability or cost of these substances from Internet suppliers. An Internet snapshot study was undertaken in English using established European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) methodology to determine the availability of 4-methylaminorex and 4,4'-dimethylaminorex in April 2014. Twenty Internet sites selling 4-methylaminorex were identified, 18 selling in US dollars and two in GB Pound Sterling. Fourteen (70 %) Internet sites had a minimum purchase amount of ≥10 g (compared to user doses of 10-25 mg). For the 18 suppliers selling in US$, 9 quoted a fixed price per gram irrespective of the amount ordered and 11 had a reducing price per gram with increasing purchase quantity (US$30.8 ± 34.2/g for 1 g purchase to US$15.2 ± 20.3/g for 1 kg purchase). Only one Internet site selling 4,4'-dimethylaminorex was identified, selling in Euros. The minimum purchase quantity was 500 mg. The price per gram reduced from 36.08/g for a 500 mg purchase to 2.20/g for a 100 g purchase. This Internet snapshot demonstrated that there was a greater availability from Internet suppliers of products advertised as 4-methylaminorex than 4,4'-dimethylaminorex, despite the 4-methylaminorex being an internationally controlled substance. Whilst this may reflect misunderstanding by suppliers, it has the potential to put those purchasing at risk of contravening border control and/or local law enforcement legislation. The use of methodology such as Internet snapshot surveys is of increasing interest to clinical/medical toxicologists in their understanding of the supply, availability and cost of novel psychoactive substances.

  15. Consumption of new psychoactive substances in a Spanish sample of research chemical users.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González, Débora; Ventura, Mireia; Caudevilla, Fernando; Torrens, Marta; Farre, Magi

    2013-07-01

    To know the pattern of use of new psychoactive substances (NPSs) in a Spanish sample of research chemical (RC) users and to deepen the RC user profile and risk reduction strategies employed. This study is a cross-sectional survey by means of a specific questionnaire. Recruitment was carried out at music festivals, at non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and through announcements on an online forum. Two RC user profiles were defined, according to whether they search information through online forums. A total of 230 users participated. The most frequent RCs were hallucinogenic phenethylamines (2C-B 80.0%, 2C-I 39.6%) and cathinones (methylone 40.1%, mephedrone 35.2%). The most frequent combination of RC with other illegal drugs was with cannabis (68.6%) and 2C-B with MDMA (28.3%). Subjects who are consulting drug forums (group 1) use more RC, obtain RC by Internet, and use more frequently risk prevention strategies. Regarding the risk-reduction strategies in this group, users sought information concerning RC before consuming them (100%), used precision scales to calculate dosage (72.3%), and analyzed the contents before consumption (68.8%). There is a specific RC user profile with extensive knowledge and consumption of substances, using different strategies to reduce risks associated to its consumption. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  16. Structure determination of butylone as a new psychoactive substance using chiroptical and vibrational spectroscopies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spálovská, Dita; Králík, František; Kohout, Michal; Jurásek, Bronislav; Habartová, Lucie; Kuchař, Martin; Setnička, Vladimír

    2018-05-01

    Recently, there has been a worldwide substantial increase in the consumption of new psychoactive substances (NPS), compounds that mimic the structure of illicit drugs, such as amphetamines or ecstasy. The producers try to avoid the law by a slight modification of illicit structures, thereby developing dozens of temporarily legal NPS every year. The current trends in the detection and monitoring of such substances demand a fast and reliable analysis. Molecular spectroscopy represents a highly effective tool for the identification of NPS and chiroptical methods can provide further information on their 3D structure, which is the key for the determination of their biological activity. We present the first systematic study of NPS, specifically butylone, combining chiroptical and vibrational spectroscopies with ab initio calculations. According to density functional theory calculations, 6 stable lowest energy conformers of butylone were found and their molecular structure was described. For each conformer, the relative abundance based on the Boltzmann distribution was estimated, their population weighted spectra predicted and compared to the experimental results. Very good agreement between the experimental and the simulated spectra was achieved, which allowed not only the assignment of the absolute configuration, but also a precise description of the molecular structure. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Prevalence of Alcohol and Other Substance Use in Patients with Eating Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fouladi, Farnaz; Mitchell, James E; Crosby, Ross D; Engel, Scott G; Crow, Scott; Hill, Laura; Le Grange, Daniel; Powers, Pauline; Steffen, Kristine J

    2015-11-01

    The major aim of this study was to investigate any association between binge eating and purging and alcohol and substance use. The Eating Disorder Questionnaire was completed by 2966 patients. Each patient was assigned to an approximate diagnostic group based on a DSM-5-based algorithm. Patients with bulimia nervosa (BN) used alcohol/other substances with higher frequencies compared to patients with anorexia nervosa-restricting type (AN-R), binge eating disorder (BED), and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS; p anorexia nervosa-binge eating/purging type (AN-BP) were more likely to use alcohol/substances than those with AN-R [odds ratio for alcohol use: 3.58 (p < 0.01); odds ratio for substance use: 30.14 (p < 0.01)]. Higher frequencies of binge eating and purging were associated with higher frequencies of substance use. Patients who manifest both binge eating and purging behaviour are at higher risk of substance use which may have important treatment implications. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

  18. The Relationship between Multiple Substance Use, Perceived Academic Achievements, and Selected Socio-Demographic Factors in a Polish Adolescent Sample

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazur, Joanna; Tabak, Izabela; Dzielska, Anna; Wąż, Krzysztof; Oblacińska, Anna

    2016-01-01

    Predictors of high-risk patterns of substance use are often analysed in relation to demographic and school-related factors. The interaction between these factors and the additional impact of family wealth are still new areas of research. The aim of this study was to find determinants of the most common patterns of psychoactive substance use in mid-adolescence, compared to non-users. A sample of 1202 Polish students (46.1% boys, mean age of 15.6 years) was surveyed in 2013/2014. Four patterns of psychoactive substance use were defined using cluster analysis: non-users—71.9%, mainly tobacco and alcohol users—13.7%, high alcohol and cannabis users—7.2%, poly-users—7.2%. The final model contained the main effects of gender and age, and one three-way (perceived academic achievement × gender × family affluence) interaction. Girls with poor perception of school performance (as compared to girls with better achievements) were at significantly higher risk of being poly-users, in both less and more affluent families (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 5.55 and OR = 3.60, respectively). The impact of family affluence was revealed only in interaction with other factors. Patterns of substance use in mid-adolescence are strongly related to perceived academic achievements, and these interact with selected socio-demographic factors. PMID:28009806

  19. The Relationship between Multiple Substance Use, Perceived Academic Achievements, and Selected Socio-Demographic Factors in a Polish Adolescent Sample

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanna Mazur

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Predictors of high-risk patterns of substance use are often analysed in relation to demographic and school-related factors. The interaction between these factors and the additional impact of family wealth are still new areas of research. The aim of this study was to find determinants of the most common patterns of psychoactive substance use in mid-adolescence, compared to non-users. A sample of 1202 Polish students (46.1% boys, mean age of 15.6 years was surveyed in 2013/2014. Four patterns of psychoactive substance use were defined using cluster analysis: non-users—71.9%, mainly tobacco and alcohol users—13.7%, high alcohol and cannabis users—7.2%, poly-users—7.2%. The final model contained the main effects of gender and age, and one three-way (perceived academic achievement × gender × family affluence interaction. Girls with poor perception of school performance (as compared to girls with better achievements were at significantly higher risk of being poly-users, in both less and more affluent families (adjusted odds ratio (OR = 5.55 and OR = 3.60, respectively. The impact of family affluence was revealed only in interaction with other factors. Patterns of substance use in mid-adolescence are strongly related to perceived academic achievements, and these interact with selected socio-demographic factors.

  20. Fatal toxic leukoencephalopathy secondary to overdose of a new psychoactive designer drug 2C-E (“Europa”)

    OpenAIRE

    Sacks, Justin; Ray, M. Jordan; Williams, Sue; Opatowsky, Michael J.

    2012-01-01

    We present a case of a fatal toxic leukoencephalopathy following ingestion of a new psychoactive designer drug known as 2C-E or “Europa.” Recreational drugs, particularly hallucinogenic substances, appear to be growing in popularity, with increasing amounts of information available via the Internet to entice potential users. In addition, some newer “designer” psychoactive substances are available for purchase online without adverse legal consequences, therefore adding to their popularity. We ...

  1. A multidimensional measure of sexual orientation, use of psychoactive substances, and depression: results of a national survey on sexual behavior in france.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lhomond, Brigitte; Saurel-Cubizolles, Marie-Josèphe; Michaels, Stuart

    2014-04-01

    Using data from a large national representative survey on sexual behavior in France (Contexte de la Sexualité en France), this study analyzed the relationship between a multidimensional measure of sexual orientation and psychoactive substance use and depression. The survey was conducted in 2006 by telephone with a random sample of the continental French speaking population between the ages of 18 and 69 years. The sample used for this analysis consisted of the 4,400 men and 5,472 women who were sexually active. A sexual orientation measure was constructed by combining information on three dimensions of sexual orientation: attraction, sexual behavior, and self-definition. Five mutually exclusive groups were defined for men and women: those with only heterosexual behavior were divided in two groups whether or not they declared any same-sex attraction; those with any same-sex partners were divided into three categories derived from their self-definition (heterosexual, bisexual or homosexual). The consumption of alcohol and cannabis, which was higher in the non-exclusively heterosexual groups, was more closely associated with homosexual self-identification for women than for men. Self-defined bisexuals (both male and female) followed by gay men and lesbians had the highest risk of chronic or recent depression. Self-defined heterosexuals who had same-sex partners or attraction had levels of risk between exclusive heterosexuals and self-identified homosexuals and bisexuals. The use of a multidimensional measure of sexual orientation demonstrated variation in substance use and mental health between non-heterosexual subgroups defined in terms of behavior, attraction, and identity.

  2. 36 CFR 1002.35 - Alcoholic beverages and controlled substances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ...) The sale or gift of an alcoholic beverage to a person under 21 years of age, except where allowed by... by the Presidio Trust when under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance to a degree that...

  3. The Classification of Substance Use Disorders: Historical, Contextual, and Conceptual Considerations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sean M. Robinson

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available This article provides an overview of the history of substance use and misuse and chronicles the long shared history humans have had with psychoactive substances, including alcohol. The practical and personal functions of substances and the prevailing views of society towards substance users are described for selected historical periods and within certain cultural contexts. This article portrays how the changing historical and cultural milieu influences the prevailing medical, moral, and legal conceptualizations of substance use as reflected both in popular opinion and the consensus of the scientific community and represented by the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM. Finally, this article discusses the efforts to classify substance use disorders (SUDs and associated psychopathology in the APA compendium. Controversies both lingering and resolved in the field are discussed, and implications for the future of SUD diagnoses are identified.

  4. Addiction: Alcohol and Substance Abuse in Judaism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kate Miriam Loewenthal

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available This article outlines a history of rulings and beliefs about addiction in Judaism, covering alcohol and substance use and addiction, in the context of a brief account of the development of the status of addiction. It examines the prevalence of alcohol and substance use and abuse among Jews, including a discussion of some of the difficulties in estimating prevalence and of factors involved in changing patterns of use and abuse. Community beliefs and attitudes are examined, using published material and interviews with community leaders and members. Some conclusions are suggested about the impact of religious rulings and of other factors on addiction among Jews. Attention is given to the phenomenon of denial. Therapeutic practices and organisations are described. The scope for further research is identified.

  5. Engineering molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for the selective extraction and quantification of the novel psychoactive substance (NPS) methoxphenidine and its regioisomers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lowdon, J W; Alkirkit, S M O; Mewis, R E; Fulton, D; Banks, C E; Sutcliffe, O B; Peeters, M

    2018-04-30

    In this communication, we present the first developed Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) for the specific detection of a New Psychoactive Substance (NPS); namely, methoxphenidine (MXP) and its regioisomers. Selectivity of the MIP towards MXP is studied by analysing mixtures and an acquired street sample with High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to UV detection. The study demonstrates that the engineered polymers selectively extract MXP from heterogeneous samples, which makes for a very powerful diagnostic tool that can detect traces of MXP in complicated NPS samples.

  6. New psychoactive substances: an overview on recent publications on their toxicodynamics and toxicokinetics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Markus R

    2016-10-01

    This review article covers English-written and PubMed-listed review articles and original studies published between January 2015 and April 2016 dealing with the toxicodynamics and toxicokinetics of new psychoactive substances. Compounds covered include stimulants and entactogens, synthetic cannabinoids, tryptamines, NBOMes, phencyclidine-like drugs, benzodiazepines, and opioids. First, an overview and discussion is provided on timely review articles followed by an overview and discussion on recent original studies. Both sections are then concluded by an opinion on these latest developments. This review shows that the NPS market is still highly dynamic and that the data published on their toxicodynamics and toxicokinetics can hardly keep pace with the appearance of new entities. However, data available are very helpful to understand and predict how NPS may behave in severe intoxication. The currently best-documented parameter is the in vitro metabolism of NPS, a prerequisite to allow detection of NPS in biological matrices in cases of acute intoxications or chronic consumption. However, additional data such as their chronic toxicity are still lacking.

  7. [Psychoactive Drug Use by Youth in a Post Armed-Conflict Region].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Díaz, Carlos Gantiva; Ramírez, Nohelia Hewitt; Maldonado, Anderssen Vera; Varela, Adriana Angarita; Baños, Arturo Parado; Puerto, Angélica Guillén

    2012-06-01

    There are no studies in Colombia on the use of psychoactive substances (PAS) by post armed-conflict population to serve as guide for prevention programs and to account for the potential impact armed conflict may have upon this area. To describe the use of PAS in young students in a post-conflict region. A quantitative-descriptive study involving the totality of students of the township of Viotá, Department of Cundinamarca, Colombia (1,304 participants). The World Health Survey for Schoolchildren was applied. Alcohol is the substance with the highest percentage of lifetime prevalence; during the last month, it was observed that the highest percentage of people start PAS use between the age of 8 and 13, while 42% of youngsters have experienced at least one drunkenness episode. It was found that 43.4% have been exposed to alcohol in their families while 35.1% were exposed to tobacco at school or in their neighborhoods. 84.5% stated their intention to continue consuming tobacco during the next year. Results show lower consumption percentages in comparison to school youngsters in Bogotá, Colombia, which may indicate that the armed conflict has not increased consumption levels in this population. Based on the results, certain elements to be taken into account are proposed for the implementation of prevention programs with this population. Copyright © 2012 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  8. Use of psychoactive substances in prison: Results of a study in the Lyon-Corbas prison, France.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahajian, F; Berger-Vergiat, A; Pot, E

    2017-09-01

    In prison, in 2012, according to various sources, from 4 to 56% of the European inmate population used psychoactive substances (PAS). The aim of our study was to describe PAS consumption during incarceration in the prison of Lyon-Corbas, France. A transversal descriptive study was conducted between September 23rd and September 27th 2013 among all inmates of this prison. We used an anonymous self-administered questionnaire, distributed at lunchtime and collected, the same day, at dinnertime, by the mental health service personnel. Among 785 inmates present at the time of the study in the prison of Lyon-Corbas, 710 were included and the response rate was 64.4% (95% CI [60.8-67.8]). Among 457 responding inmates, 16.4% (95% CI [13.2-20.0]) reported no PAS consumption. Among 382 consumers, 74.4% (95% CI [69.8-78.5]) used tobacco, 36.8% (95% CI [32.2-41.8]) cannabis, 30.4% (95% CI [25.9-35.1]) alcohol, 7.7% (95% CI [5.2-10.6]) heroin and 10.3% (95% CI [7.5-13.6]) cocaine. Furthermore, 15% of consumers had started PAS consumption during their incarceration. Among consumers of at least one PAS other than tobacco, cannabis and alcohol, the way of consumption was sniff for 60.0% (95% CI [48.5-70.2]) and injection for 31.0% (95% CI [21.6-42.1]). Use of several PAS at the same time and sharing sniffing and/or injection paraphernalia were other risky behaviors observed; 12% (95% CI [5.8-20.4]) of drug injectors declared using chlorine to sterilize their injection paraphernalia. Our study provides worrying data about PAS consumption in prison. The measures of prohibition do not prevent this consumption. There is even an initiation of consumption of PAS for 15% of the first-time incarcerated inmates. This finding should encourage public authorities to facilitate access of inmates to the care structures in prisons, to improve drug use prevention and care programs and to develop activities (sports, cultural, educational and vocational). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS

  9. Substance use disorders in adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a 4-year follow-up study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groenman, Annabeth P; Oosterlaan, Jaap; Rommelse, Nanda; Franke, Barbara; Roeyers, Herbert; Oades, Robert D; Sergeant, Joseph A; Buitelaar, Jan K; Faraone, Stephen V

    2013-08-01

    To examine the relationship between a childhood diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with or without oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)/conduct disorder (CD) and the development of later alcohol/drug use disorder [psychoactive substance use disorder (PSUD)] and nicotine dependence in a large European sample of ADHD probands, their siblings and healthy control subjects. Subjects (n = 1017) were participants in the Belgian, Dutch and German part of the International Multicenter ADHD Genetics (IMAGE) study. IMAGE families were identified through ADHD probands aged 5-17 years attending out-patient clinics, and control subjects from the same geographic areas. After a follow-up period (mean: 4.4 years) this subsample was re-assessed at a mean age of 16.4 years. PSUD and nicotine dependence were assessed using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Drug Abuse Screening Test and Fagerström test for Nicotine Dependence. The ADHD sample was at higher risk of developing PSUD [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.05-3.00] and nicotine dependence (HR = 8.61, 95% CI = 2.44-30.34) than healthy controls. The rates of these disorders were highest for ADHD youth who also had CD, but could not be accounted for by this comorbidity. We did not find an increased risk of developing PSUD (HR = 1.18, 95% CI = 0.62-2.27) or nicotine dependence (HR = 1.89, 95% CI = 0.46-7.77) among unaffected siblings of ADHD youth. A childhood diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a risk factor for psychoactive substance use disorder and nicotine dependence in adolescence and comorbid conduct disorder, but not oppositional defiant disorder, further increases the risk of developing psychoactive substance use disorder and nicotine dependence. © 2013 Society for the Study of Addiction.

  10. 41 CFR 109-27.5008 - Control of drug substances and potable alcohol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ..., and Guidelines § 109-27.5008 Control of drug substances and potable alcohol. Effective procedures and... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Control of drug substances and potable alcohol. 109-27.5008 Section 109-27.5008 Public Contracts and Property Management...

  11. Why Do Adolescents Use Substances (Drugs/Alcohol)?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kozicki, Zigmond A.

    1986-01-01

    Examines reasons that adolescents use alcohol and drugs, including role confusion, developmental factors, parental influence, and peer pressure. Reports that adolescents also abuse substances to feel excitement, cope with personality conflicts, and express their individuality through rebellion. (ABB)

  12. Prevalence of substance abuse among regular degree health science students in Sheba University College in Mekelle Town, Tigray - Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagos, Esietu Gebregazabher; Asfeha, Gebrekidan Gebregzabher; Berihu, Birhane Alem

    2016-01-01

    Substance abuse (SA) refers to the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs. The most common substances which are usually abused are alcohol and tobacco. Herein, we assessed the prevalence of SA among regular degree health science students of the Sheba University College (SUC). A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 1076 SUC students using self-administered structured questionnaire. The simple sampling technique was used to select students. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multivariate analysis were done. The overall prevalence of "ever used substance" for at least one was 45.5%. The most commonly used drugs in descending order were alcohol (25.1%), cigarette (11.4%), and khat (9.2%). Male participants, urban setting, peer pressure, personal pleasure, and academic dissatisfaction and pocket money were highly associated with SA. This study showed a lower magnitude (45.6% ever use and 21% still using) of SA among students' compared to other studies. Even if a considerable decrease in SA among study subjects, the creation of awareness and health education should be continued to fully combat the problem of abuse.

  13. Psychopathology in Substance Use Disorder Patients with and without Substance-Induced Psychosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simon Zhornitsky

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Substance-induced psychotic disorder (SIPD is a diagnosis constructed to distinguish substance-induced psychotic states from primary psychotic disorders. A number of studies have compared SIPD persons with primary psychotic patients, but there is little data on what differentiates substance use disorder (SUD individuals with and without SIPD. Here, we compared psychopathology, sociodemographic variables, and substance use characteristics between SUD patients with and without SIPD. Methods. A retrospective chart review was conducted on newly admitted patients at a rehabilitation centre between 2007 and 2012. Results. Of the 379 patients included in the study, 5% were diagnosed with SIPD n=19 and 95% were diagnosed with SUDs without SIPD n=360. More SIPD patients reported using cannabis and psychostimulants, and fewer SIPD patients reported using alcohol than SUDs patients without SIPD. SIPD patients scored higher on the “schizophrenia nuclear symptoms” dimension of the SCL-90R psychoticism scale and exhibited more ClusterB personality traits than SUD patients without SIPD. Discussion. These data are consistent with previous studies suggesting that psychopathology, substance type, and sociodemographic variables play important role in the development of SIPD. More importantly, the results highlight the need for paying greater attention to the types of self-reported psychotic symptoms during the assessment of psychotomimetic effects associated with psychoactive substances.

  14. The drug situation in Europe: an overview of data available on illicit drugs and new psychoactive substances from European monitoring in 2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mounteney, Jane; Griffiths, Paul; Sedefov, Roumen; Noor, Andre; Vicente, Julián; Simon, Roland

    2016-01-01

    A central task for the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) is to produce an annual report of the latest data available on drug demand and drug supply in Europe. This paper is intended to facilitate a better understanding of, and easier access to, the main quantitative European level data sets available in 2015. The European reporting system formally covers all 28 European Union (EU) Member States, Norway and Turkey and incorporates multiple indicators alongside an early warning system (EWS) on uncontrolled new psychoactive substances (NPS). While epidemiological information is based largely on registries, surveys and other routine data reported annually, the EWS collects case-based data on an ongoing basis. The 2015 reporting exercise is centred primarily on a set of standardized reporting tools. The most recent data provided by European countries are presented, including data on drug use, drug-related morbidity and mortality, treatment demand, drug markets and new psychoactive substances, with data tables provided and methodological information. A number of key results are highlighted for illustrative purposes. Drug prevalence estimates from national surveys since 2012 (last year prevalence of use among the 15-34 age band) range from 0.4% in Turkey to 22.1% in France for cannabis, from 0.2% in Greece and Romania to 4.2% in the United Kingdom for cocaine, from 0.1% in Italy and Turkey to 3% in the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom for ecstasy, and from 0.1% or less in Romania, Italy and Portugal to 2.5% in Estonia for amphetamine. Declining trends in new HIV detections among people who inject drugs are illustrated, in addition to presentation of a breakdown of NPS reported to the EU early warning system, which have risen exponentially from fewer than 20 a year between 2005 and 2008, to 101 reported in 2014. Structured information is now available on patterns and trends in drug consumption in Europe, which permits triangulation of

  15. problematic extent of alcohol and substance use among ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    EB

    African Health Sciences Vol 13 Issue 3 September 2013. 777. Beyond prevalence ... pattern of alcohol/substance use can inform the inclusion of rehabilitation strategies in intervention policies. ..... cigarette smoking and advertisement among.

  16. Extending the capability of forensic electrochemistry to the novel psychoactive substance benzylpiperazine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.A. Waddell

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Benzylpiperazine (BZP is a novel psychoactive substance that is commonly abused in tablet form as an “ecstasy-type” drug. Electroanalysis offers genuine potential for field testing of bulk drug samples. This research is the first to investigate the viability of voltammetric analysis of BZP. Initial cyclic voltammetry in 0.1 M KCl showed an oxidative peak at a glassy carbon electrode for BZP at approximately 0.8 V (scan rate 205 mV s−1. Next an optimised electrode/electrolyte combination (viz. 80:20 W:W glassy carbon beads:nujol and pH 9.5, 40 mM, Britton-Robinson buffer was developed using K3Fe(CN6 to test the electrode material. The oxidation of BZP involves two electrons and two protons and a mechanism has been proposed. An anodic stripping square wave voltammetric method was optimised by factorial design with the conditions of deposition: −0.8 V for 135 s, and stripping: step height 10 mV, amplitude 50 mV and frequency 13 Hz. A limit of detection of 6 μM was achieved. The resolution against 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA was also verified. Keywords: Voltammetry, Forensic, Controlled drugs, Benzylpiperazine, Ecstasy

  17. The Presence of New Psychoactive Substances in a Tor Network Marketplace Environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dolliver, Diana S; Kuhns, Joseph B

    2016-01-01

    Prior research has documented the availability of drugs on many Tor Network websites, with the Internet playing a particularly vital role in the global new psychoactive substances (NPS) market. The primary objective of this research was to document types of NPS for sale on the largest operating Tor site (Agora) over a period of four months. Secondary objectives were to analyze countries and vendors sourcing NPS on Agora. Data from Agora were collected in February and June 2015. The number of total advertisements on Agora increased from 20,742 to 27,431 over the four months, while the number of NPS advertisements increased from 2,205 to 2,271 and the number of vendors increased from 157 to 288. The composition of NPS listings and source countries for NPS advertised on Agora diversified over time. Advertisements for ketamine and unclassified NPS experienced substantial growth, while the availability of phenethylamines decreased. However, phenethylamines remained the most frequently advertised NPS type. China and the U.S. were found to be the top two countries by volume selling NPS on Agora over the fpir months, but the number of countries identified as advertising NPS increased by nearly 43%. The United States housed the most NPS vendors.

  18. Monitoring novel psychoactive substances allegedly offered online for sale in Persian and Arabic languages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corazza, Ornella; Assi, Sulaf; Malekianragheb, Saeideh; Beni, Mitra Naderi; Bigdeli, Imanollah; Aslanpour, Zoe; Schifano, Fabrizio

    2014-07-01

    Numbers of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) have been rapidly increasing over the past few years, with unprecedented challenges on traditional drug control systems. The web has been involved in the promotion and knowledge dissemination of NPS, which are being presented online as safer/legal alternatives to illicit drugs. The physical, psychological and social harms associated with NPS have been studied so far mainly in Europe and other English speaking countries. The aim of this research is to provide knowledge on the provision of NPS information/purchase opportunities to Middle East customers, whilst monitoring the Internet in Arabic and Farsi. Web analysis/assessments were carried out in both Farsi and Arabic between 2011 and 2013. Sources were scrutinized with the help of different search engines, including Google Arabic and Google Persian, to carry out searches focusing on both NPS retailers' and social network websites. The research identified 45 NPS apparently offered for purchase online. Most of these products were of synthetic origin; a few herbal stimulants were identified as well. The pro drug websites were not here easily identified, being hidden behind other, unrelated, websites. Present results may constitute a public health challenge to be considered at both national and worldwide level. New legislative frameworks should also be encouraged in order to ensure a better response to the current threat posed by rapid emergence of these substances. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Family health and family physician’s influence on prevention of psychoactive substances abuse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lapčević Mirjana

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The family, as the basic social unit, has a decisive role in the health and disease of its members. It is the primary unit where health needs are formed and solved. By its own resources the family independently resolves about 75% of the total health requirements. In the paper the authors study family characteristics which influence family health and diseases, indicators of family health and the scale of life values. Also, the study evaluates social factors, communication and the influence of the usage of psychoactive substances on family health and the quality of family life. To form the personality of a child three factors are most significant: love, the feeling of safety and the presence of harmonious relationship between the parents. Life harmony in a family also depends on the quality of structural components of the personality and the interaction of motivation of its members. Early childhood determines the future personality of the adult person. At that period, habits and partially attitudes are formed. In harmonious family relationships the parents are the role model to children. Verbal and non-verbal communication enrich the relationship among people and enable efforts in supporting understanding, compassion and care for others by mutual agreement. On the scale of life values of Serbian citizens health holds the first position. Immediately following the health issue is good relationship in the family. As healthcare is not only the task of healthcare services, but also of each individual, family and the society as a whole, it is on healthcare personnel to educate the citizens how to preserve and improve their own health and the health of their family by a continual healthcare and education. Above all, this concerns avoidance of bad habits, such as smoking, immoderate alcohol consumption, narcotic abuse, physical inactivity, hypercaloric nutrition, etc. Also, it is significant to make an early recognition of disease symptoms and to turn for

  20. Drug policy and global regulatory capitalism: the case of new psychoactive substances (NPS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seddon, Toby

    2014-09-01

    The recent emergence of vibrant markets in 'new psychoactive substances' or 'legal highs' has posed significant new challenges for drug policy. These partly concern what to do about them but the speed and complexity of change has also raised difficulties for how policy responses should be developed. Existing drug policy systems appear too slow and cumbersome to keep up with the pace of change, remaining locked in large part within 'old' ways of thinking that centre almost exclusively around the deployment (or not) of the criminal law and its related enforcement apparatus. In this paper, it is argued that we need to rethink the problem through the lens of regulation, in order to learn lessons from other sectors where more agile responses to changing markets and business innovation have often proved possible. By examining examples drawn from these other areas, an alternative policy-making framework can be developed, involving a more flexible mix of state regulation, civil society action and private law mechanisms. This new approach is founded on a recognition of the networked and polycentric character of effective market governance in an era of global regulatory capitalism. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Estimating demand for primary care-based treatment for substance and alcohol use disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barry, Colleen L; Epstein, Andrew J; Fiellin, David A; Fraenkel, Liana; Busch, Susan H

    2016-08-01

    While there is broad recognition of the high societal costs of substance use disorders (SUD), treatment rates are low. We examined whether, in the United States, participants with substance or alcohol use disorder would report a greater willingness to enter SUD treatment located in a primary care setting (primary care) or more commonly found specialty care setting in the United States (usual care). Randomized survey-embedded experiment. US web-based research panel in which participants were randomized to read one-paragraph vignettes describing treatment in usual care (specialty drug or alcohol treatment center), primary care or collaborative care within a primary care setting. A total of 42 451 panelists aged 18+ were screened for substance or alcohol use disorder using validated diagnostic criteria. Participants included 344 with a substance use disorder and 634 with an alcohol use disorder not in treatment with no prior treatment history. Willingness to enter treatment across vignettes by condition. Among participants with a substance use disorder, 24.6% of those randomized to usual care reported being willing to enter drug treatment compared with 37.2% for primary care [12.6 percentage point difference; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.8, 24.4) and 34.0% for collaborative care (9.4 percentage point difference; 95% CI = -2.0, 20.8). Among participants with an alcohol use disorder, 17.6% of those randomized to usual care reported being willing to enter alcohol treatment compared with 20.3% for primary care (2.6 percentage point difference; 95% CI = -4.9, 10.1) and 20.8% for collaborative care (3.1 percentage point difference; 95% CI = -4.3, 10.6). The most common reason for not being willing to enter drug (63%) and alcohol (78%) treatment was the belief that treatment was not needed. In the United States, people diagnosed with substance or alcohol use disorders appear to be more willing to enter treatment in a primary care setting than in a specialty drug

  2. Mental health of adolescents who abuse psychoactive substances in Enugu, Nigeria - A cross-sectional study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Igwe Wilson C

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Association between psychiatric morbidity and substance abuse among adolescent has been reported. However prevalence and pattern of such dysfunctions are unknown in our environment. Aims To determine the prevalence of psychosocial dysfunction and depressive symptoms among adolescents who abuse substance and also note the influence of socio-demographic factors and type of substance on the pattern of dysfuction. Method A cross-sectional study was carried out among 900 adolescents selected from 29 secondary schools in Enugu metropolis. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select the students. The student drug use questionnaire was used to screen respondents for substance abuse. Those who were abusing substance and matched controls (non substance abusers were assessed for psychiatric symptoms using the 35-item Paediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC and the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS. Social classification was done using the parental educational attainment and occupation. Result A total of 290 students were current substance abusers. The substances most commonly abused were alcohol (31.6%, cola nitida (kola nut (20.7% and coffee (15.7%. Using the PSC scale, 70 (24.1% subjects compared to 29 (10.7% of the controls had scores in the morbidity range of ≥ 28 for psychosocial dysfuction. This was statistically significant (χ2 = 17.57 p = 0.001. Fifty-four subjects (18.6% had scores in the morbidity range of ≥ 50 for depressive symptoms using the Zung SDS compared to 21 (7.7% of controls. This was statistically significant (χ2 = 14.43, p = 0.001. Prevalence of dysfunction was not significantly related to age in both subjects and controls (χ2 = 4.62, p = 0.010, χ2 = 4.8, p = 0.10 respectively. Also using both scales, there was no significant relationship between psychosocial dysfunction and gender or social class in both subjects and control. The prevalence of dysfuction using both scales was significantly higher

  3. Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders in DSM-5

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gulcan Gulec

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available When we compare the categories about alcohol, and substance-related disorders in DSM-IV and DSM-5, the new category, named addictive disorders is the most striking change. Only gambling disorder have been identified currently in this category. This may be the most remarkable change among the changes in the DSM-5. Because the expansion of the existing diagnostic criteria may cause the assessment of and lsquo;normal behavior' as a disorder. Additionally, withdrawal of caffeine and cannabis are defined in the DSM-5. Disorders collected under the title of substance-related disorders in the DSM-IV were collected under the name of substance-related and addictive disorders in the DSM-5. Specific criterias for substance abuse and substance addiction have been combined into the name of "substance use disorders". In substance abuse, "experienced legal problems" criteria was removed and "a strong desire or urge or craving for substance use" criteria has been introduced. Henceforth, substance abuse is defined as a mild form of substance use disorders in the DSM-5. A change in the prevalence of substance use disorders should be investigated by the new researches.

  4. Assessing self-reported use of new psychoactive substances: The impact of gate questions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palamar, Joseph J; Acosta, Patricia; Calderón, Fermín Fernández; Sherman, Scott; Cleland, Charles M

    2017-09-01

    New psychoactive substances (NPS) continue to emerge; however, few surveys of substance use ask about NPS use. Research is needed to determine how to most effectively query use of NPS and other uncommon drugs. To determine whether prevalence of self-reported lifetime and past-year use differs depending on whether or not queries about NPS use are preceded by "gate questions." Gate questions utilize skip-logic, such that only a "yes" response to the use of specific drug class is followed by more extensive queries of drug use in that drug class. We surveyed 1,048 nightclub and dance festival attendees (42.6% female) entering randomly selected venues in New York City in 2016. Participants were randomized to gate vs. no gate question before each drug category. Analyses focus on eight categories classifying 145 compounds: NBOMe, 2C, DOx, "bath salts" (synthetic cathinones), other stimulants, tryptamines, dissociatives, and non-phenethylamine psychedelics. Participants, however, were asked about specific "bath salts" regardless of their response to the gate question to test reliability. We examined whether prevalence of use of each category differed by gate condition and whether gate effects were moderated by participant demographics. Prevalence of use of DOx, other stimulants, and non-phenethylamine psychedelics was higher without a gate question. Gate effects for other stimulants and non-phenethylamine psychedelics were larger among white participants and those attending parties less frequently. Almost one in ten (9.3%) participants reporting no "bath salt" use via the gate question later reported use of a "bath salt" such as mephedrone, methedrone, or methylone. Omitting gate questions may improve accuracy of data collected via self-report.

  5. Estudio exploratorio sobre la presencia del consumo de sustancias psicoactivas en niños entre 10 y 12 años y en sus padres o adultos responsables Preliminary study about the presence of the use of psychoactive substances among children between ten and twelve years old and in their parents or responsible adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara Slapak

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Se presentan los resultados preliminares de un estudio cuyo propósito es indagar la presencia del consumo de sustancias psicoactivas en niños entre 10 y años y en sus padres o adultos responsables. Metodología: Muestras: niños de a años que reciben asistencia psicoterapéutica en una unidad de docencia en servicio de una cátedra universitaria; padres o adultos responsables de dichos niños. Instrumentos: CORIN. Fuente: CONICET. Cuestionario que indaga hábitos de consumo en los adultos. Anamnesis a los adultos. Protocolo de datos sociodemográficos. Conclusiones: Se registra consumo ocasional de alcohol durante el año de administración del instrumento entre los niños. De la misma manera, se observa un consumo habitual de diversas sustancias psicoactivas en su entorno familiar. Se concluye que el consumo ocasional de alcohol en los niños no se encuentra relacionado con su sintomatología, sino más bien con las características del contexto familiar.This paper presents the preliminaries results of a study which purpose is to inquire the presence of the use of psychoactive substances among children between ten and twelve years old and in their parents or responsible adults. Methodology: Samples: Children between ten and twelve years old that receive psychotherapeutical assistance in an academic unit in a service witch belongs to an university chair; parents or responsible adults of these children. Tools: CORIN. Source: CONICET. Questionnaire that inquires about consume habits in the adults. Adults anamnesis. Sociodemographic data protocol. Conclusions: During the year of the administration of the instrument, it is registred an occasional consume of alcohol among the children. In the same way, it is observed a habitual consume of diverse psychoactive substances in their family context. It is concluded that the occasionally use of alcohol in children it is not related with their sinthomatology, but with the characteristics of their family

  6. Substance abuse and cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moussas, G I; Papadopoulou, A G

    2017-01-01

    Substance abuse is a health problem with serious psychological and psychiatric dimensions and multiple social and economic consequences. Cancer is a disease that threatens not only life and physical integrity but mental health as well. Oncology patients suffer from mental disorders in high rates, especially from depression and anxiety. The role of substance abuse in the pathogenesis of cancer is studied systematically, since there are research data supporting the mutagenic effects of certain substances. It has been supported that a possible dysregulation of the immune system is linked to the oncogenic processes induced by substances of abuse. Specifically, opioids are the first addictive substances that have been identified as oncogenic factors. However, conflicting results have been offered by experimental animal studies, which showed that opioids, such as morphine, depending on the dosage administered, may not only enhance the process of tumor growth, but also inhibit it. Additionally, research data indicate that the use of cannabis may be associated with cancer, either as an independent factor or in relation to other mutagenics, although it is not yet clear to which extent these effects may be connected to the disease, especially once the consumption of tobacco and alcohol by these patients are taken into account. However, it has been argued that certain cannabinoids may have biological -anticancer- activities which could be used therapeutically without being accompanied by the corresponding 9-tetrahydrocannabinol psychoactive effects. It is well known that alcohol is a risk factor for developing head and neck cancer, and epidemiological studies indicate that the higher the consumption of alcohol, the more mortality due to cancer increases. In addition, it is suggested that there is no safety level for alcohol consumption regarding the risk of developing cancer; that is even a minimum daily consumption is associated with the occurrence of certain types of cancer

  7. Suicidal behaviors among Moroccan school students: prevalence and association with socio-demographic characteristics and psychoactive substances use: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarrouq, Btissame; Bendaou, B; Elkinany, S; Rammouz, I; Aalouane, R; Lyoussi, B; Khelafa, S; Bout, A; Berhili, N; Hlal, H; Nejjari, C; El Rhazi, K

    2015-11-14

    Suicidal behavior is a major cause of injury and death worldwide, especially among adolescents and young adults. Few studies have tackled this issue in the Arab world. The present study investigated the prevalence and the risk factors of suicidal behaviors among Moroccan school students. From April 2012 to November 2013, a cross-sectional study was conducted in the North-Centre region of Morocco among students in public secondary schools selected using stratified cluster random sampling. The data were collected via anonymous self-administered questionnaires. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview was used in its Moroccan Colloquial Arabic version to assess suicidality according to the DSM-IV criteria. A total of 3020 students (53 % boys) aged 11-23 years (average age = 16 ± 2.1 years) were included in the study. The prevalence of suicide ideation, suicide planning and suicide attempts during the last month were 15.7, 6.3, and 6.5 % respectively. Univariate analyses demonstrated that suicidal behaviors followed different epidemiological patterns. According to the multivariate analyses, the risk factors for all suicidal behaviors among Moroccan school students were the female gender, middle school level, urban locations, low family income, parents' divorce, tobacco consumption and psychoactive substances (alcohol and cannabis) use. The intervention of preventive programs has become an emergency to overcome the issue of suicidality in Morocco. Further researches on adolescents' suicidal behaviors are suggested to update temporal data and assess the effectiveness of potential interventions.

  8. The Dynamic Environment of Crypto Markets: The Lifespan of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) and Vendors Selling NPS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wadsworth, Elle; Drummond, Colin; Deluca, Paolo

    2018-03-16

    The Internet has played a major role in the distribution of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), and crypto markets are increasingly used for the anonymous sale of drugs, including NPS. This study explores the availability of individual NPS and vendors on the crypto markets and considers whether crypto markets are a reliable platform for the sale of NPS. Data was collected from 22 crypto markets that were accessed through the hidden web using the Onion Router (Tor). Data collection took place bimonthly from October 2015 to October 2016 as part of the CASSANDRA ( C omputer A ssisted S olutions for S tudying the A vailability a N d D ist R ibution of novel psycho A ctive substances) project. In seven snapshots over 12 months, 808 unique vendors were found selling 256 unique NPS. The total number of individual NPS and vendors increased across the data collection period (increase of 93.6% and 71.6%, respectively). Only 24% ( n = 61) of the total number of NPS and 4% ( n = 31) of vendors appeared in every snapshot over the 12 months, whereas 21% ( n = 54) of NPS and 45% ( n = 365) of vendors only appeared once throughout the data collection. The individual NPS and vendors did not remain the same over the 12 months. However, the availability of NPS and vendors selling NPS grew. NPS consistently available on crypto markets could indicate popular substances.

  9. [Implications of psychoactive substances on the health of men deprived of liberty].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caravaca-Sánchez, Francisco; Sánchez-Alcaraz Martínez, Cristóbal; Osuna, Eduardo; Falcón Romero, María; Luna, Aurelio

    2015-01-01

    To describe the frequency of the use of alcohol and other drugs, as well as different types of victimization in men deprived of liberty in the prisons of Castile-La Mancha (Spain). A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of men deprived of liberty in four prisons in Castile-La Mancha. An anonymous questionnaire on victimization was distributed among a total of 425 prisoners, with a confidence interval of 95%. The most commonly reported assaults were verbal, affecting 41.4% of the prisoners (n=176) and the least common were sexual, affecting 7.8% (n=33). The most commonly consumed substance was cannabis, with 40.2% (n=171) of prisoners consuming it in the previous month. Victimization and substance use is a reality in prisons, and there is a statistically significant association between the two phenomena. This association should be further studied to design preventive measures and improve prison life. Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  10. Social Cost of Substance Abuse in Russia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Potapchik, Elena; Popovich, Larisa

    2014-09-01

    To summarize results of studies that estimate the social costs of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug abuse in Russia. The purpose of these studies was to inform policymakers about the real economic burden of risky behaviors and to provide conditions for evidence-based and well-informed decision making in this area. The cost-of-illness method was applied to estimate the social cost of substance abuse. The intangible cost was not included in estimation. A prevalence-based approach was applied to estimate the tangible cost. For the estimation of direct costs, a top-down method was used. Indirect costs were estimated using two methods: the human capital and the friction cost. In 2008, the social cost of substance abuse in Russia comprised 677.2 billion rubles if the friction cost method is applied and 1965.9 billion rubles if the human capital method is used. The social cost of substance abuse is defined to the greatest extent by alcohol consumption, comprising about 45% of the economic burden. Illicit drug use comprises about 30% of the economic burden and tobacco consumption 25%. The results of economic studies demonstrated that psychoactive substances impose a considerable economic burden on society. Analysis of the substance abuse social cost pattern shows that the main losses that society bears because of these behavioral risk factors fall outside the health care system and lay in other sectors of the economy such as social care, law enforcement, and productivity losses. Copyright © 2014 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Screening new psychoactive substances in urban wastewater using high resolution mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Mariño, Iria; Gracia-Lor, Emma; Bagnati, Renzo; Martins, Claudia P B; Zuccato, Ettore; Castiglioni, Sara

    2016-06-01

    Analysis of drug residues in urban wastewater could complement epidemiological studies in detecting the use of new psychoactive substances (NPS), a continuously changing group of drugs hard to monitor by classical methods. We initially selected 52 NPS potentially used in Italy based on seizure data and consumption alerts provided by the Antidrug Police Department and the National Early Warning System. Using a linear ion trap-Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometer, we designed a suspect screening and a target method approach and compared them for the analysis of 24 h wastewater samples collected at the treatment plant influents of four Italian cities. This highlighted the main limitations of these two approaches, so we could propose requirements for future research. A library of MS/MS spectra of 16 synthetic cathinones and 19 synthetic cannabinoids, for which analytical standards were acquired, was built at different collision energies and is available on request. The stability of synthetic cannabinoids was studied in analytical standards and wastewater, identifying the best analytical conditions for future studies. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first stability data on NPS. Few suspects were identified in Italian wastewater samples, in accordance with recent epidemiological data reporting a very low prevalence of use of NPS in Italy. This study outlines an analytical approach for NPS identification and measurement in urban wastewater and for estimating their use in the population.

  12. Depression and psychoactive substances consumption in Mexican college undergraduates Depresión y consumo de sustancias psicoactivas en universitarios mexicanos Risco de depressão e consumo de substâncias psicoactivas em universitários mexicanos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco Rafael Guzmán Facundo

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To explore the relationship between risk of depression and psychoactive substances consumption in college undergraduates. Methodology. Cross sectional descriptive study in which an instrument that included a sociodemographic variables, b Beck depression inventory II (BDI-II and c questions about psychoactive substances consumption in life, in the last year and in the last month, was applied to 32 college undergraduates. Results. 52.9% of the students had drunk alcohol and other 33.6% had smoked in the last month. For illicit substances: 3.7% used cocaine, 3.4% marihuana and 0.5% amphetamines. The risk of depression for the sample was: 6.6% had low risk, 3.4% moderate and 1.8% severe risk. Significant differences were found between consumers and non consumers DBI-II means in regards to: alcohol, tobacco, marihuana, and any illicit drug. Conclusion. College undergraduates who have consumed alcohol or marihuana at least once in their life have a higher risk of depression compared to non consumers.Objetivo. Explorar la relación entre el riesgo de depresión y el consumo de sustancias psicoactivas en universitarios. Metodología. Estudio descriptivo de corte transversal en el que se aplicó a una muestra representativa de 432 universitarios un instrumento que incluía: a variables sociodemográficas, b Inventario de Depresión de Beck II (DBI-II y c preguntas sobre el consumo de sustancias psicoactivas en la vida, en el último año y en el último mes. Resultados. En el último mes el 52.9% de los estudiantes ha bebido alcohol y otro 33.6% ha consumido tabaco; en cuanto a las sustancias ilícitas: 3.7% cocaína, 3.4% marihuana y 0.5% anfetaminas. El riesgo de depresión para la muestra fue: 6.6% leve; 3.4% moderada y 1.8% grave. Se encontraron diferencias significativas entre las medianas del DBI-II de consumidores y no consumidores en: alcohol, tabaco, marihuana y alguna droga ilícita. Conclusión. Los universitarios que han consumido

  13. Psychoactive drug consumption: performance-enhancing behaviour and pharmacodependence in workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ngoundo-Mbongue, T B; Niezborala, M; Sulem, P; Briant-Vincens, D; Bancarel, Y; Jansou, P; Chastan, E; Montastruc, J L; Lapeyre-Mestre, M

    2005-02-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated to psychoactive medication use and dependence in working environment during a 1-year period. We performed a 1-year-follow-up cohort study including workers from Toulouse metropolitan area. During their annual compulsory examination to assess their aptitude to work, subjects were asked to fill in an anonymous questionnaire at 1 year interval, in May 2000 and May-June 2001. Among a study sample of 1273 subjects (47.4% of men, mean age 39.2 +/- 9.2 years), the prevalence of psychoactive medication use at baseline was 9.1% (4.3% anxiolytic, 1.9% hypnotic, 1.7% antidepressant, 2.1% opiate analgesic and 0.5% antipsychotic drugs, according to ATC classification). Dependence on these drugs was found in 3.5% of workers. This consumption was associated with professional categories (higher in employees versus senior executive, Odds Ratio: 1.80; 95% Confidence Interval [1.04-3.11]), low job satisfaction and outside workplace (1.92; [1.30-2.84] and 3.40; [2.27-5.09] respectively), and patterns of medication use at workplace: for sleeping disorders related to job (18.27; [11.81-28.26]), for enhancing performance at work (28.13; [12.00-65.92]), for relieving unpleasant symptoms at work (22.98; [9.59-55.01]). The risk of psychoactive medication chronic use (psychoactive drug users in 2000 and 2001), and dependence at 1 year were both strongly associated with nicotine dependence (5.99 and 6.23, respectively) and performance-enhancing behaviour with drugs and/or alcohol (8.35 and 3.32 respectively), whereas current use (psychoactive drug users only in 2001) was strongly associated with performance-enhancing behaviour. Among workers using psychoactive drugs, one out of three are dependent on psychoactive medications. Performance-enhancing behaviour and coping strategies might be a determinant of psychoactive drug use and could lead to dependence in the workplace.

  14. Consumption of psychoactive substances among 535 women entering a Lyon prison (France) between June 2004 and December 2008.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahajian, F; Lamothe, P; Fabry, J; Vanhems, P

    2012-10-01

    In France, recent data on the consumption of psychoactive substances (PASs) among women entering prison are virtually nonexistent. The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of female entrants at Montluc prison in Lyon (France) and to estimate their PAS consumption. Between June 1, 2004 and December 31, 2008, of 841 women entering the Lyon correctional facility, 535 had an entrance interview, conducted by a nurse, during which a questionnaire was systematically proposed; 306 detainees did not have this interview and could not be included in the study because of an immediate transfer to another prison or emergency hospitalization. Socioeconomic and incarceration characteristics, PAS consumption, as well as consumption level (occasional, regular, abusive or dependence) and psychological distress of the 535 interviewed detainees were systematically noted. This psychological distress was defined by the presence in the entrant talks or behavior suggesting clinical symptoms such as anxiety, depression, delusion, delirium, and mood or behavior disorders. Descriptive analysis was undertaken with the Chi(2) test and Fisher's exact test for differences between the proportions observed. The average age of the 534 responding detainees was 31.5 years; 59.2% had had no ongoing professional activity in the 12 months prior to incarceration, and 21.6% had already been imprisoned before; 37.5% of the entrants reported dependence on tobacco and 13.7% on alcohol; 6.6% reported regular, abusive use or dependence on cannabis, 20.4% on psychotropic medications, and 7.7% on other drugs (heroin, cocaine, synthetic drugs) in the 6 months preceding their incarceration; 39.2% of the consumers at risk reported using at least two substances; 7.1% of detainees were on opioid substitution treatment. A multiple correspondence factor analysis was used to note specific characteristics of three groups of PAS consumers. More frequent among young women detainees, overall PAS

  15. Perceived Sexual Control, Sex-Related Alcohol Expectancies and Behavior Predict Substance-Related Sexual Revictimization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walsh, Kate; Messman-Moore, Terri; Zerubavel, Noga; Chandley, Rachel B.; DeNardi, Kathleen A.; Walker, Dave P.

    2013-01-01

    Objectives Although numerous studies have documented linkages between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and later sexual revictimization, mechanisms underlying revictimization, particularly assaults occurring in the context of substance use, are not well-understood. Consistent with Traumagenic Dynamics theory, the present study tested a path model positing that lowered perceptions of sexual control resulting from CSA may be associated with increased sex-related alcohol expectancies and heightened likelihood of risky sexual behavior, which in turn, may predict adult substance-related rape. Methods Participants were 546 female college students who completed anonymous surveys regarding CSA and adult rape, perceptions of sexual control, sex-related alcohol expectancies, and likelihood of engaging in risky sexual behavior. Results The data fit the hypothesized model well and all hypothesized path coefficients were significant and in the expected directions. As expected, sex-related alcohol expectancies and likelihood of risky sexual behavior only predicted substance-related rape, not forcible rape. Conclusions Findings suggested that low perceived sexual control stemming from CSA is associated with increased sex-related alcohol expectancies and a higher likelihood of engaging in sexual behavior in the context of alcohol use. In turn these proximal risk factors heighten vulnerability to substance-related rape. Programs which aim to reduce risk for substance-related rape could be improved by addressing expectancies and motivations for risky sexual behavior in the context of substance use. Implications and future directions are discussed. PMID:23312991

  16. Adulteration Practices of Psychoactive Illicit Drugs: An Updated Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solimini, Renata; Rotolo, Maria C; Pellegrini, Manuela; Minutillo, Adele; Pacifici, Roberta; Busardò, Francesco P; Zaami, Simona

    2017-01-01

    Powdery drugs such as cocaine and heroin are frequently adulterated or diluted predominantly to obtain more doses and to increase the drug dealer's profits, but also to enhance, to modify or to oppose drug effects. The aim of this report is to provide an overview of the recent scientific literature on medicines as well as on new psychoactive substances, used as cutting agents (i.e. pharmacologically active adulterants) and on the related adverse health effects on consumers, possibly due to the synergistic effect of the adulterants laced with substances of abuse. A literature search up to January 2017 was performed on MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science and reports and documents of international agencies or institutions were also searched. Pharmacologically active substances such as: paracetamol, caffeine, dextromethorphan, clenbuterol for heroin; levamisole, phenacetine, lidocaine, hydroxyzine and diltiazem for cocaine; caffeine and phentermine for amphetamine, have been identified over the years. Furthermore, since cocaine and morphine (this latter as a precursor of heroin) are both extracted from natural products, some impurities and minor alkaloids can be present in the final preparation. In this context, it is worth considering that new psychoactive substances are also used as cutting agents. The wide availability of illicit psychotropic drugs is the most serious hazard threatening consumers. Indeed emergency departments are often responsible in evaluating damages caused not only by the base substance, but also by other eventual compounds added to mimic or antagonize drug effects or simply dilute the drug amount, with a possible harmful synergic toxic action. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  17. Consumo de substâncias psicoativas por adolescentes escolares de Ribeirão Preto, SP (Brasil. I - Prevalência do consumo por sexo, idade e tipo de substância The consumption of psychoactive substances by adolescents in schools in an urban area of Southeastern region of Brazil. I - Prevalence by sex, age and kind of substance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gilson M. Muza

    1997-02-01

    pelos meninos como pelas meninas, muitas vezes em idades bem precoces.INTRODUCTION: Concern over the consumption of psychoactive substances by teenagers has given rise to a great wordwide effort to produce information about this phenomenon. This study set out to investigate the prevalence of consumption of legal and illegal psychoactive substances, its distribution by age, sex and age at first experience of them, among teenage pupils in county, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Southeastern Brazil. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A self-applicable questionnaire duly adapted and submitted to a reliability test was applied to a proportional sample of 1,025 teenagers enrolled in 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th grads at public and private city schools. The questionnaire contained questions about the use of ten classes of psychoactive substances, demographic questions and validation information, as well as questions about the perception and intrinsic behavior related to drug consumption. RESULTS: The sample of 88.9% had consumed alcoholic beverages sometime in their lives, 37.7% had used tobacco, 31.1% solvents, 10.5% medicines, 6.8% marihuana, 2.7% cocaine, 1.6% hallucinogens, and 0.3% of the sample had consumed some opiate substance. The rates of consumption increased with age for all substances; however, the use of tobacco and of illegal substances was less intense during the later years of adolescence. As to sex distribution, boys consumed more than girls, except for medicines, with girls consuming barbiturates, amphetamines and tranquilizers in proportions similar to or higher than those observed among boys. Age at first experience showed that access to psychoactive substances occurred at very early ages. CONCLUSIONS: Experimenting with psychoactive substances, whether legal or illegal, is a frequent phenomenon during adolescence, both among boys and girls, often at very early ages.

  18. Novel psychoactive substances: use and knowledge among adolescents and young adults in urban and rural areas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinotti, Giovanni; Lupi, Matteo; Carlucci, Leonardo; Cinosi, Eduardo; Santacroce, Rita; Acciavatti, Tiziano; Chillemi, Eleonora; Bonifaci, Ludovica; Janiri, Luigi; Di Giannantonio, Massimo

    2015-07-01

    Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) are new psychotropic drugs, not scheduled under the International Conventions on Psychotropic Substances, but which may pose a relevant public health threat. In this study, we investigated knowledge and use of NPS in a sample of Italian youth in urban and rural areas. Between December 2012 and October 2013, we administered a questionnaire to a sample of 3011 healthy subjects (44.7% men; 55.3% women), aged between 16 and 24 years and recruited in urban, intermediate and rural areas of Italy. Of the global sample, 53.3% declared to have some knowledge on NPS, with a higher knowledge in urban areas. Mephedrone (26%), desomorphine (22.6%) and methamphetamine (21.7%) were the most commonly known drugs. NPS use was reported by 4.7% of the sample, without significant differences between urban and rural areas; mephedrone (3.3%), synthetic cannabinoids (1.2%) and Salvia divinorum (0.3%) consumption has been identified. NPS use was also predictive of binge-drinking behaviours (χ(2) (4) = 929.58, p < .001). Urban areas may represent a focal point for preventive strategies, given the presence of higher levels of NPS knowledge. Moreover, the association between binge-drinking habits and NPS use was really strong. This issue should not be underestimated because of its medical, psychopathological and social consequences. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. From concept(ion) to life after death/the grave: The 'natural' history and life cycle(s) of novel psychoactive substances (NPS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corkery, John Martin; Orsolini, Laura; Papanti, Duccio; Schifano, Fabrizio

    2017-05-01

    A range of information needs should be met in order to better understand and predict the longevity/existence of novel psychoactive substances (NPS). This conceptual paper argues that one way of assessing how long a molecule may be around is to document how the life cycles or natural histories of 'traditional' drugs and NPS evolve. The earliest indication of the possible appearance of a new substance might be evidenced on the DeepWeb. However, this means they are less visible, in line with the clandestine nature of drug use and supply. Therefore, monitoring discussion groups/fora needs the development of new methods compared to those used in the Surface Net. Issues needing consideration in establishing NPS life cycles are outlined here, together with the probable outcomes that could result. The approach advocated means that it should be easier to identify which NPS are likely to come up or are emerging in real time, and, therefore, pre-empt/prevent their supply. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Testing Whether and when Parent Alcoholism Uniquely Affects Various Forms of Adolescent Substance Use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussong, Andrea M.; Huang, Wenjing; Serrano, Daniel; Curran, Patrick J.; Chassin, Laurie

    2012-01-01

    The current study examined the distal, proximal, and time-varying effects of parents' alcohol-related consequences on adolescents' substance use. Previous studies show that having a parent with a lifetime diagnosis of alcoholism is a clear risk factor for adolescents' own substance use. Less clear is whether the timing of a parent's…

  1. Prevalência e fatores associados com o consumo de substâncias psicoativas por acadêmicos de enfermagem da Universidade de Passo Fundo Prevalence and factors associated with psychoactives substances consumption for academics of nursing of the University of Passo Fundo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Picolotto

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Com o objetivo de estimar a prevalência de consumo de substâncias psicoativas e seus determinantes entre acadêmicos de enfermagem da Universidade de Passo Fundo (RS, realizou-se estudo transversal com 266 alunos, maiores de dezoito anos, que responderam o questionário do Centro Brasileiro de Informações Sobre Drogas Psicotrópicas. Empregou-se estatística descritiva, qui-quadrado e regressão logística múltipla para análise de dados. A prevalência de uso na vida, no ano e no mês foi maior para álcool, tabaco, benzodiazepínicos e estimulantes. Da amostra, 94% consumiram álcool na vida, 90% no ano e 79% no mês, sendo 14% caracterizado como uso pesado. As alunas consumiram mais benzodiazepínicos e estimulantes que os alunos. Os maiores de 20 anos de idade e os do sexo feminino evidenciaram menor chance de consumo de álcool no mês e aqueles com renda familiar mensal superior a dez salários mínimos apresentaram maior chance de consumo de maconha (OR: 1,92, cocaína (OR:4,63 e inalantes (OR:7,02. O padrão de consumo de substâncias psicoativas assemelha-se ao encontrado em outros grupos de universitários, salvo os benzodiazepínicos e estimulantes, sugerindo-se uma avaliação mais aprofundada desse consumo.The objective of this epidemiologic transversal cut study was to investigate the consumption of psychoactive substances and their determinants between the nursery academics of the University of Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul State. 266 students, aging more than eighteen years old answered a questionnaire of the Brazilian Center of Information about Psychoactive Drugs. A descriptive statistics, qui-square and multiple logistics regression were carried out for the data analysis. Of the sample, 94% had consumed alcohol in the life, 90% in that year and 79% in that month, 14% were characterized as heavy users. The girls had consumed benzodiazepines and stimulants more than the boys. The ones aging 20 year and more and females had

  2. Promoting innovation and excellence to face the rapid diffusion of novel psychoactive substances in the EU: the outcomes of the ReDNet project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corazza, Ornella; Assi, Sulaf; Simonato, Pierluigi; Corkery, John; Bersani, Francesco Saverio; Demetrovics, Zsolt; Stair, Jacqueline; Fergus, Suzanne; Pezzolesi, Cinzia; Pasinetti, Manuela; Deluca, Paolo; Drummond, Colin; Davey, Zoe; Blaszko, Ursula; Moskalewicz, Jacek; Mervo, Barbara; Furia, Lucia Di; Farre, Maggi; Flesland, Liv; Pisarska, Agnieszka; Shapiro, Harry; Siemann, Holger; Skutle, Arvid; Sferrazza, Elias; Torrens, Marta; Sambola, F; van der Kreeft, Peer; Scherbaum, Norbert; Schifano, Fabrizio

    2013-07-01

    The recent emergence of new psychoactive compounds (novel psychoactive substances (NPS)) has raised prominent challenges in the fields of drug policy, substance use research, public health and service provision. The Recreational Drugs European Network project, funded by the European Commission, was implemented to improve the information stream to young people and professionals about effects/risks of NPS by identifying online products and disseminating relevant information through technological tools. Regular multilingual qualitative assessments of websites, drugs fora and other online resources were carried out using the Google search engine in eight languages from collaborating countries. These included the following: the UK, Norway, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Italy and Spain. Products were tested and prevention messages were developed and disseminated via technological tools such as interactive websites, SMS alert, social networking (Facebook, Twitter), Multimedia (You Tube), Smartphone applications (iPhone) and virtual learning environments (Second Life). The Recreational Drugs European Network project established itself as the first Europe-wide prevention programme designed for NPS based on the efficacy of novel information and communication technology-based forms of intervention. More than 650 NPS products and combinations were identified; relevant information was disseminated to target population and advice was given to both European Union/international agencies and national policy makers. Web-monitoring activities are essential for mapping the diffusion of NPS and the use of technological tools can be successfully incorporated in specific prevention programmes. Furthermore, the involvement of multi-disciplinary international partnerships was and continues to be fundamental for responding to such a prominent challenge. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. Substance use among Palestinian youth in the West Bank, Palestine: a qualitative investigation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salwa G. Massad

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Youth health risk behaviors, including substance use (psychoactive substances including alcohol and illicit drugs, have been the subject of relatively limited study to date in Middle Eastern countries. This study provides insights into the perceived prevalence and patterns of alcohol and drug use among Palestinian youth. Methods The study was based on ten focus groups and 17 individual interviews with youth aged 16–24 years (n = 83, collected as part of the formative phase of a cross-sectional, population representative study of risk taking behaviors among Palestinian youth in the West Bank in 2012. Qualitative analysis was used to code detailed notes of focus groups and interviews. Results Most participants reported that substance use exists, even in socially conservative communities. Almost all participants agreed that alcohol consumption is common and that alcohol is easily available. The top alcoholic drinks referred to by the study participants were vodka, whisky, beer, and wine. Most participants claimed that they drink alcohol to cope with stress, for fun, out of curiosity, to challenge society, and due to the influence of the media. Participants were familiar with illicit drugs and knew of youth who engaged in drug use: marijuana, cocaine, and heroin were mentioned most frequently. Study participants believed that youth use drugs as a result of stress, the Israeli occupation, inadequate parental control, lack of awareness, unhappiness, curiosity, and for entertainment. Many participants were unaware of any local institutions to support youth with substance use problems. Others expressed their distrust of any such institution as they assumed them to be inefficient, profit-driven, and posing the risk of potential breaches of confidentiality. Conclusions Although this study uses a purposive sample, the results suggest that substance use exists among Palestinian youth. Risk behaviors are a concern given inadequate

  4. Substance use among Palestinian youth in the West Bank, Palestine: a qualitative investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massad, Salwa G; Shaheen, Mohammed; Karam, Rita; Brown, Ryan; Glick, Peter; Linnemay, Sebastian; Khammash, Umaiyeh

    2016-08-17

    Youth health risk behaviors, including substance use (psychoactive substances including alcohol and illicit drugs), have been the subject of relatively limited study to date in Middle Eastern countries. This study provides insights into the perceived prevalence and patterns of alcohol and drug use among Palestinian youth. The study was based on ten focus groups and 17 individual interviews with youth aged 16-24 years (n = 83), collected as part of the formative phase of a cross-sectional, population representative study of risk taking behaviors among Palestinian youth in the West Bank in 2012. Qualitative analysis was used to code detailed notes of focus groups and interviews. Most participants reported that substance use exists, even in socially conservative communities. Almost all participants agreed that alcohol consumption is common and that alcohol is easily available. The top alcoholic drinks referred to by the study participants were vodka, whisky, beer, and wine. Most participants claimed that they drink alcohol to cope with stress, for fun, out of curiosity, to challenge society, and due to the influence of the media. Participants were familiar with illicit drugs and knew of youth who engaged in drug use: marijuana, cocaine, and heroin were mentioned most frequently. Study participants believed that youth use drugs as a result of stress, the Israeli occupation, inadequate parental control, lack of awareness, unhappiness, curiosity, and for entertainment. Many participants were unaware of any local institutions to support youth with substance use problems. Others expressed their distrust of any such institution as they assumed them to be inefficient, profit-driven, and posing the risk of potential breaches of confidentiality. Although this study uses a purposive sample, the results suggest that substance use exists among Palestinian youth. Risk behaviors are a concern given inadequate youth-friendly counseling services and the strong cultural

  5. Clock genes × stress × reward interactions in alcohol and substance use disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perreau-Lenz, Stéphanie; Spanagel, Rainer

    2015-06-01

    Adverse life events and highly stressful environments have deleterious consequences for mental health. Those environmental factors can potentiate alcohol and drug abuse in vulnerable individuals carrying specific genetic risk factors, hence producing the final risk for alcohol- and substance-use disorders development. The nature of these genes remains to be fully determined, but studies indicate their direct or indirect relation to the stress hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and/or reward systems. Over the past decade, clock genes have been revealed to be key-players in influencing acute and chronic alcohol/drug effects. In parallel, the influence of chronic stress and stressful life events in promoting alcohol and substance use and abuse has been demonstrated. Furthermore, the reciprocal interaction of clock genes with various HPA-axis components, as well as the evidence for an implication of clock genes in stress-induced alcohol abuse, have led to the idea that clock genes, and Period genes in particular, may represent key genetic factors to consider when examining gene × environment interaction in the etiology of addiction. The aim of the present review is to summarize findings linking clock genes, stress, and alcohol and substance abuse, and to propose potential underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Prediction of Smoking, Alcohol, Drugs, and Psychoactive Drugs Abuse Based on Emotional Dysregulation and Child Abuse Experience in People with Borderline Personality Traits

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M GannadiFarnood

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: This research was an attempt to predict the tendency of people having borderline personality traits to smoking, drinking alcohol, and taking psychoactive drugs based on emotional dysregulation and child abuse. Method: This study employed a correlation method which is categorized in descriptive category. A sample including 600 male and female bachelor students of Tabriz University was selected by cluster sampling. Then, high risk behaviors scale, Emotional dysregulation Scale, Child abuse scale, and borderline personality scale (STB were distributed among this group. Findings: Stepwise multiple regression analysis suggested that emotional dysregulation and child abuse significantly predicted varying degrees of smoking, drug, and alcohol usage. Conclusion: The research findings suggest the basic role of initial biological vulnerability in terms of emotional regulation (dysregulation and invalidating family environment (child abuse in the prediction of catching the disorder of borderline personality traits and producing high riskbehaviorssuch as alcohol drink and drug usage.

  7. [Psychoactive drugs and costs in the Madrid III (Valdemoro) prison].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Algora-Donoso, I; Varela-González, O

    2008-01-01

    Annual pharmaceutical expenditures in prisons increases dramatically and the rising costs of psychoactive drugs have especially contributed to this. These drugs are often prescribed in order to find therapeutic uses in the field of personality disorders, addictions, and dysfunctional behaviours that are not included in the authorized indications (compassionate use). This study has enabled a detailed description of the use of psychoactive drugs at the Madrid III prison, a centre with one of the lowest levels of pharmaceutical expenditure in this autonomous community. During a two-week period, all prescriptions of psychoactive drugs were collected and registered along with data of several possible conditioning factors. 20.5% of the population was receiving some kind of psychoactive drug; 76% of those inmates undergoing treatment were receiving one or two substances; 65% were taking anxiolytics, 38% antidepressants and 27% antipsychotics. The total amount of psychoactive drugs consumed was 9,840 defined daily doses, 46% of which were anxiolytics, 17% antidepressants and 14% antipsychotics. The total cost of the fortnight's treatment was euros 5,379 with a saving of euro 611 due to requesting and selecting offers carried out by the pharmacist. 72% of the costs were spent on anti-psychotics and the newer psychoactive drugs, representing 66% of the prescriptions, accounted for 98% of expenditure. The prescriber was one of the key influential factors over the amount, type and cost of the treatments. There are signs that compassionate use of current antipsychotics and antiepileptics, and newer antidepressants are a main cause of the dramatic increase in the costs, with cost-efficiency not always clearly demonstrated. These results are not an isolated fact restricted only to prisons, as demonstrated by consumption data published by the National Health System in the same year.

  8. Neuropharmacology of new psychoactive substances (NPS: focus on the rewarding and reinforcing properties of cannabimimetics and amphetamine-like stimulants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina eMiliano

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available New psychoactive substances (NPS are a heterogeneous and rapidly evolving class of molecules available on the global illicit drug market (e.g smart shops, internet, dark net as a substitute for controlled substances. The use of NPS, mainly consumed along with other drugs of abuse and/or alcohol, has resulted in a significantly growing number of mortality and emergency admissions for overdoses, as reported by several poison centers from all over the world. The fact that the number of NPS have more than doubled over the last 10 years, is a critical challenge to governments, the scientific community, and civil society (UNODC, World Drug Report, 2014; EMCDDA, European Drug Report 2014: Trends and developments. The chemical structure (phenethylamines, piperazine, cathinones, tryptamines, synthetic cannabinoids of NPS and their pharmacological and clinical effects (hallucinogenic, anesthetic, dissociative, depressant help classify them into different categories. In the recent past, 50% of newly identified NPS have been classified as synthetic cannabinoids followed by new phenethylamines (17%(WDR, 2014. Besides peripheral toxicological effects, many NPS seem to have addictive properties. Behavioral, neurochemical, and electrophysiological evidence can help in detecting them. This manuscript will review existing literature about the addictive and rewarding properties of the most popular NPS classes: cannabimimetics (JWH, HU, CP series and amphetamine-like stimulants (amphetamine, methamphetamine, methcathinone and MDMA analogues. Moreover, the review will include recent data from our lab which links JWH-018, a CB1 and CB2 agonist more potent than Δ9-THC, to other cannabinoids with known abuse potential, and to other classes of abused drugs that increase dopamine signaling in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc shell. Thus the neurochemical mechanisms that produce the rewarding properties of JWH-018, which most likely contributes to the greater incidence of

  9. Do alcohol expectancies and peer delinquency/substance use mediate the relationship between impulsivity and drinking behaviour in adolescence?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnow, Sven; Schultz, Gabriele; Lucht, Michael; Ulrich, Ines; Preuss, Ulrich-W; Freyberger, Harald-J

    2004-01-01

    To investigate (1). whether aggressive and delinquent behaviour problems predict subsequent adolescent drinking behaviour; and (2). to what extent this association is mediated by alcohol expectancies and/or peer delinquency/substance use. 147 adolescents (approximately 15 years old) were interviewed with regard to their drinking behaviour. In addition, several self-rating questionnaires were given to gather information regarding the peers of these children. As proposed by the Acquired Preparedness Model (APM), we found that behavioural problems were related to quantity and frequency of alcohol consumed, and that this relationship was mediated by alcohol expectancies. Regarding peer relations, we found positive correlations between drinking behaviour and peer delinquency/substance use, aggression/delinquency and alcohol expectancies. Furthermore, the association between behavioural problems and drinking decreased dramatically if peer delinquency/substance use was accounted for. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed that both alcohol expectancies and peer delinquency/substance use predicted alcohol consumption of adolescents at the 1-year follow-up above and beyond the effects of age, sex, family history of alcoholism and aggression/delinquency of respondents. Alcohol expectancies and peer delinquency/substance use are both crucial to the amount and frequency of adolescent alcohol use. They should be considered in designing prevention and intervention strategies in this age group.

  10. Hair Testing for Drugs of Abuse and New Psychoactive Substances in a High-Risk Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salomone, Alberto; Palamar, Joseph J; Gerace, Enrico; Di Corcia, Daniele; Vincenti, Marco

    2017-06-01

    Hundreds of new psychoactive substances (NPS) have emerged in the drug market over the last decade. Few drug surveys in the USA, however, ask about use of NPS, so prevalence and correlates of use are largely unknown. A large portion of NPS use is unintentional or unknown as NPS are common adulterants in drugs like ecstasy/Molly, and most NPS are rapidly eliminated from the body, limiting efficacy of urine, blood and saliva testing. We utilized a novel method of examining prevalence of NPS use in a high-risk population utilizing hair-testing. Hair samples from high-risk nightclub and dance music attendees were tested for 82 drugs and metabolites (including NPS) using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Eighty samples collected from different parts of the body were analyzed, 57 of which detected positive for at least one substance-either a traditional or new drug. Among these, 26 samples tested positive for at least one NPS-the most common being butylone (25 samples). Other new drugs detected include methylone, methoxetamine, 5/6-APB, α-PVP and 4-FA. Hair analysis proved a powerful tool to gain objective biological drug-prevalence information, free from possible biases of unintentional or unknown intake and untruthful reporting of use. Such testing can be used actively or retrospectively to validate survey responses and inform research on consumption patterns, including intentional and unknown use, polydrug-use, occasional NPS intake and frequent or heavy use. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  11. 49 CFR 382.121 - Employee admission of alcohol and controlled substances use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... and has successfully completed education or treatment requirements in accordance with the self... substances use. 382.121 Section 382.121 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation... SAFETY REGULATIONS CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AND ALCOHOL USE AND TESTING General § 382.121 Employee admission...

  12. Recherche d'une eventuelle implication des substances ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    . English Abstract. This study was conducted to determine the presence or absence of psychoactive substances in the urine of 105 patients admitted to the emergency of Abidjan Heart Institute. Indeed, these substances have been described as ...

  13. Fatal toxic leukoencephalopathy secondary to overdose of a new psychoactive designer drug 2C-E ("Europa").

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sacks, Justin; Ray, M Jordan; Williams, Sue; Opatowsky, Michael J

    2012-10-01

    We present a case of a fatal toxic leukoencephalopathy following ingestion of a new psychoactive designer drug known as 2C-E or "Europa." Recreational drugs, particularly hallucinogenic substances, appear to be growing in popularity, with increasing amounts of information available via the Internet to entice potential users. In addition, some newer "designer" psychoactive substances are available for purchase online without adverse legal consequences, therefore adding to their popularity. We describe magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings to include selective diffuse toxic injury of the cerebral white matter with sparing of the cortex and most of the deep gray nuclei. To our knowledge, this is the first reported description of cerebral findings on MRI that are likely related to a lethal ingestion of 2C-E.

  14. Psychological Factors related with Driving under the Influence of Alcohol and Substance Use

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ersin Budak

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Driving under the influence of alcohol and substance use is an important traffic problem that caused many people in the world to lose their lieves. Many features that are important in terms of driving adversely affected under the influence of alcohol and substance and therefore impaired driving behavior arises in drivers. The most effective way to fight for prevent this impaired driver behavier is the restrictions and regulations imposed on drivers in traffic related to alcohol and drug use. Nevertheless, in the literature, some drivers continue to impaired driving function with a risky traffic behavior, in which the driver personality (risk-taking, thrill-seeking, self-control, psychopathological (substance abuse, personality disorders, mood disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, anger and aggression, and many other neuropsychological features are considered to have a relationship with this situation. In this article psychological, psychopathological and neuropsychological studies have examined regarding drive under the influence of alcohol and drug. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2015; 7(3.000: 333-347

  15. Raising awareness of new psychoactive substances: chemical analysis and in vitro toxicity screening of 'legal high' packages containing synthetic cathinones.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Araújo, Ana Margarida; Valente, Maria João; Carvalho, Márcia; Dias da Silva, Diana; Gaspar, Helena; Carvalho, Félix; de Lourdes Bastos, Maria; Guedes de Pinho, Paula

    2015-05-01

    The world's status quo on recreational drugs has dramatically changed in recent years due to the rapid emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS), represented by new narcotic or psychotropic drugs, in pure form or in preparation, which are not controlled by international conventions, but that may pose a public health threat comparable with that posed by substances listed in these conventions. These NPS, also known as 'legal highs' or 'smart drugs', are typically sold via Internet or 'smartshops' as legal alternatives to controlled substances, being announced as 'bath salts' and 'plant feeders' and is often sought after for consumption especially among young people. Although NPS have the biased reputation of being safe, the vast majority has hitherto not been tested and several fatal cases have been reported, namely for synthetic cathinones, with pathological patterns comparable with amphetamines. Additionally, the unprecedented speed of appearance and distribution of the NPS worldwide brings technical difficulties in the development of analytical procedures and risk assessment in real time. In this study, 27 products commercialized as 'plant feeders' were chemically characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. It was also evaluated, for the first time, the in vitro hepatotoxic effects of individual synthetic cathinones, namely methylone, pentedrone, 4-methylethcathinone (4-MEC) and 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV). Two commercial mixtures ('Bloom' and 'Blow') containing mainly cathinone derivatives were also tested, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) was used as the reference drug. The study allowed the identification of 19 compounds, showing that synthetic cathinones are the main active compounds present in these products. Qualitative and quantitative variability was found in products sold with the same trade name in matching or different 'smartshops'. In the toxicity studies performed in

  16. Prevalence of substance abuse among regular degree health science students in Sheba University College in Mekelle Town, Tigray - Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Esietu Gebregazabher Hagos

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Substance abuse (SA refers to the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs. The most common substances which are usually abused are alcohol and tobacco. Herein, we assessed the prevalence of SA among regular degree health science students of the Sheba University College (SUC. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 1076 SUC students using self-administered structured questionnaire. The simple sampling technique was used to select students. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multivariate analysis were done. Results: The overall prevalence of “ever used substance” for at least one was 45.5%. The most commonly used drugs in descending order were alcohol (25.1%, cigarette (11.4%, and khat (9.2%. Male participants, urban setting, peer pressure, personal pleasure, and academic dissatisfaction and pocket money were highly associated with SA. Conclusion: This study showed a lower magnitude (45.6% ever use and 21% still using of SA among students' compared to other studies. Even if a considerable decrease in SA among study subjects, the creation of awareness and health education should be continued to fully combat the problem of abuse.

  17. Reliability of a questionnaire on substance use among adolescent students, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machado Neto, Adelmo de Souza; Andrade, Tarcisio Matos; Fernandes, Gilênio Borges; Zacharias, Helder Paulo; Carvalho, Fernando Martins; Machado, Ana Paula Souza; Dias, Ana Carmen Costa; Garcia, Ana Carolina Rocha; Santana, Lauro Reis; Rolin, Carlos Eduardo; Sampaio, Cyntia; Ghiraldi, Gisele; Bastos, Francisco Inácio

    2010-10-01

    To analyze reliability of a self-applied questionnaire on substance use and misuse among adolescent students. Two cross-sectional studies were carried out for the instrument test-retest. The sample comprised male and female students aged 1119 years from public and private schools (elementary, middle, and high school students) in the city of Salvador, Northeastern Brazil, in 2006. A total of 591 questionnaires were applied in the test and 467 in the retest. Descriptive statistics, the Kappa index, Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation were estimated. The prevalence of substance use/misuse was similar in both test and retest. Sociodemographic variables showed a "moderate" to "almost perfect" agreement for the Kappa index, and a "satisfactory" (>0.75) consistency for Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation. The age which psychoactive substances (tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis) were first used and chronological age were similar in both studies. Test-retest reliability was found to be a good indicator of students' age of initiation and their patterns of substance use. The questionnaire reliability was found to be satisfactory in the population studied.

  18. Determinants of psychoactive substance use among incarcerated ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The average age of first use was 12.6 ± 5.9 years. The prevalence of lifetime and current use of any substance was 88.0% and 64.3% respectively. Prior arrest, being sexually active and family drug use significantly (p<0.05) predicted lifetime use of any substance while being raised in a monogamous family was protective.

  19. [Consumption of licit and illicit substances by police officers in the city of Rio de Janeiro].

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Souza, Edinilsa Ramos; Schenker, Miriam; Constantino, Patrícia; Correia, Bruna Soares Chaves

    2013-03-01

    The consumption of psychoactive substances by civil and military police of the city of Rio de Janeiro was investigated. Data was gathered from two cross-sectional studies on a questionnaire on work and health conditions given to a sample from the two corporations. The results show higher frequencies of regular consumption of tobacco (23.3% by civil police and 19.1% by military police), daily use of alcohol (12% by civil police and 11% by military police) and tranquilizers in the past year (13.3% by civil police and 10.1% by military police). The consumption of marijuana among officers was 0.1% by civil police and 1.1% by military police, and cocaine use among the military police was 1.1%. Alcohol consumption proved to be intense and causes problems at work and in the social and family relationships of these officers. The need for preventive policies for addiction and the possible underestimation of information on illicit substances is emphasized.

  20. Intoxications of the new psychoactive substance 5-(2-aminopropyl)indole (5-IT): a case series from the Swedish STRIDA project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bäckberg, M; Beck, O; Hultén, P; Rosengren-Holmberg, J; Helander, A

    2014-07-01

    5-(2-aminopropyl)indole (5-IT) is a new psychoactive substance (NPS; "legal high" or "research chemical") structurally related to indoleamines and substituted phenethylamines and implicated in several fatalities. We describe the clinical characteristics and results of laboratory investigations of 14 analytically confirmed nonfatal cases of 5-IT intoxication within the Swedish STRIDA project. Observational case series of consecutive patients with admitted or suspected intake of NPS presenting to hospitals in Sweden in 2012. Blood and/or urine samples were collected from intoxicated patients presenting to emergency departments and intensive care units over the country. Analysis of NPS was performed using an LC-MS/MS multi-component method. Clinical data were collected when caregivers consulted the Poisons Information Centre and also retrieved from medical records. The severity of poisoning was graded retrospectively using the Poisoning Severity Score (PSS). Eleven male and three female patients (age: 21-53 years, median: 27) tested positive for 5-IT in 2012, all cases appearing in April-July. The 5-IT concentration in serum ranged between 0.015 and 0.59 μg/mL (median: 0.22; n = 8) and in urine between 0.005 and 24.7 μg/mL (median: 5.95; n = 12). Five intoxications were indicated to be caused by 5-IT alone, whereas additional psychoactive substances were detected in the other nine cases. Six (43%) of fourteen cases were graded as severe (PSS 3), five (36%) as moderate (PSS 2), and three (21%) as minor (PSS 1) poisonings. In the severe cases, agitation, hallucinations, dilated pupils without light reaction, tachycardia, hypertension, hyperthermia, myoclonus, muscle rigidity, arrhythmias, seizures, rhabdomyolysis, and/or renal failure were noted. The results demonstrated that severe clinical toxicity was commonly present in patients with analytically confirmed 5-IT exposure. The clinical features are consistent with a sympathomimetic toxidrome, and some patients also

  1. HighResNPS.com – an Internet Database for Liquid Chromatography - High Resolution Mass Spectrometry Screening for New Psychoactive Substances

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dalsgaard, Petur Weihe; Mollerup, Christian Brinch; Mardal, Marie

    /Discussions: . The overlapping entries of the database verify that similar fragment ions can be observed from identical compounds across different LC-HRMS systems. The inclusion of fragment ions from other labs can reduce false positive identifications, when no reference standard is available in-house. HighResNPS can serve......Background/Introduction: The number of new psychoactive substances (NPS) is constantly increasing which makes it challenging to keep the screening libraries updated with the relevant analytical targets. Liquid chromatography coupled High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC-HRMS) screening methods...... with most screening platforms after minor formatting. Results: Currently, 11 users from 9 laboratories in 7 counties have contributed with 318 entries to the database with experimental data containing at least one fragment ion. 66% of the uploaded data were based on reference standards. Synthetic...

  2. Generic legislation of new psychoactive drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Amsterdam, Jan; Nutt, David; van den Brink, Wim

    2013-03-01

    New psychoactive drugs (NPDs, new psychoactive substances) enter the market all the time. However, it takes several months to ban these NPDs and immediate action is generally not possible. Several European countries and drug enforcement officers insist on a faster procedure to ban NPDs. Introduction of generic legislation, in which clusters of psychotropic drugs are banned in advance, has been mentioned as a possible solution. Here we discuss the pros and cons of such an approach. First, generic legislation could unintentionally increase the expenditures of enforcement, black market practices, administrative burden and health risks for users. Second, it may have a negative impact on research and the development of new treatments. Third, due to the complexity of generic legislation, problems in the enforcement are anticipated due to lack of knowledge about the chemical nomenclature. Finally, various legal options are already available to ban the use, sale and trade of NPDs. We therefore conclude that the currently used scientific benefit-risk evaluation should be continued to limit the adverse health effects of NPDs. Only in emergency cases, where fatal incidents (may) occur, should this approach be overruled.

  3. Alcohol abuse and related disorders treatment of alcohol dependence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu. P. Sivolap

    2014-01-01

    medications, including baclofen, gabapentin, pregabalin, ondansetron, modafinil, and aripiprazole, are able to decrease alcoholic needs and to alleviate the manifestations of alcohol dependence. The Russian narcological practice in using antipsychotics to suppress a craving for alcohol (as well as other psychoactive substances contradicts the principles of evidence-based medicine and has no scientific base.

  4. Recent Trends in Analytical Methods to Determine New Psychoactive Substances in Hair.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyriakou, Chrystalla; Pellegrini, Manuela; García-Algar, Oscar; Marinelli, Enrico; Zaami, Simona

    2017-01-01

    New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) belong to several chemical classes, including phenethylamines, piperazines, synthetic cathinones and synthetic cannabinoids. Development and validation of analytical methods for the determination of NPS both in traditional and alternative matrices is of crucial importance to study drug metabolism and to associate consumption to clinical outcomes and eventual intoxication symptoms. Among different biological matrices, hair is the one with the widest time window to investigate drug-related history and demonstrate past intake. The aim of this paper was to overview the trends of the rapidly evolving analytical methods for the determination of NPS in hair and the usefulness of these methods when applied to real cases. A number of rapid and sensitive methods for the determination of NPS in hair matrix has been recently published, most of them using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Hair digestion and subsequent solid phase extraction or liquid-liquid extraction were described as well as extraction in organic solvents. For most of the methods limits of quantification at picogram per milligram hair were obtained. The measured concentrations for most of the NPS in real samples were in the range of picograms of drug per milligram of hair. Interpretation of the results and lack of cut-off values for the discrimination between chronic consumption and occasional use or external contamination are still challenging. Methods for the determination of NPS in hair are continually emerging to include as many NPS as possible due to the great demand for their detection. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  5. Gender orientation and alcohol-related weight control behavior among male and female college students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peralta, Robert L; Barr, Peter B

    2017-01-01

    We examine weight control behavior used to (a) compensate for caloric content of heavy alcohol use; and (b) enhance the psychoactive effects of alcohol among college students. We evaluate the role of gender orientation and sex. Participants completed an online survey (N = 651; 59.9% women; 40.1% men). Weight control behavior was assessed via the Compensatory-Eating-and-Behaviors-in Response-to-Alcohol-Consumption-Scale. Control variables included sex, race/ethnicity, age, and depressive symptoms. Gender orientation was measured by the Bem Sex Role Inventory. The prevalence and probability of alcohol-related weight control behavior using ordinal logistic regression are reported. Men and women do not significantly differ in compensatory-weight-control-behavior. However, regression models suggest that recent binge drinking, other substance use, and masculine orientation are positively associated with alcohol-related weight control behavior. Sex was not a robust predictor of weight control behavior. Masculine orientation should be considered a possible risk factor for these behaviors and considered when designing prevention and intervention strategies.

  6. Prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorder among substance abusers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schubiner, H; Tzelepis, A; Milberger, S; Lockhart, N; Kruger, M; Kelley, B J; Schoener, E P

    2000-04-01

    This cross-sectional study sought to determine the prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder among adults admitted to 2 chemical dependency treatment centers. It was hypothesized that ADHD alone or in combination with conduct disorder would be overrepresented in a population of patients with psychoactive substance use disorders. Two hundred one participants were selected randomly from 2 chemical dependency treatment centers. Standardized clinical interviews were conducted using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, the Addiction Severity Index, and DSM-IV criteria for ADHD. Reliabilities for the diagnostic categories were established using the Cohen kappa, and the subgroups of individuals with and without ADHD and conduct disorder were compared. Forty-eight (24%) of the participants were found to meet DSM-IV criteria for ADHD. The prevalence of ADHD was 28% in men (30/106) and 19% in women (18/95; NS). Seventy-nine participants (39%) met criteria for conduct disorder, and 34 of these individuals also had ADHD. Overall, individuals with ADHD (compared with those without ADHD) were more likely to have had more motor vehicle accidents. Women with ADHD (in comparison with women without ADHD) had a higher number of treatments for alcohol abuse. Individuals with conduct disorder (in comparison with those without conduct disorder) were younger, had a greater number of jobs as adults, and were more likely to repeat a grade in school, have a learning disability, be suspended or expelled from school, have an earlier age at onset of alcohol dependence, and have had a greater number of treatments for drug abuse. They were more likely to have a lifetime history of abuse of and/or dependence on cocaine, stimulants, hallucinogens, and/or cannabis. A significant overrepresentation of ADHD exists among inpatients with psychoactive substance use disorders. Over two thirds of those with ADHD in this sample also met criteria for conduct

  7. Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) use in severe mental illness (SMI) patients: Potential changes in the phenomenology of psychiatric diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bersani, Giuseppe; Prevete, Elisabeth

    2017-05-01

    Literature is quite poor about the clinical effects of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) and the long-term consequences of NPS use in psychiatric patients. Consequently, it is of the greatest interest to examine which effects NPS can exert in patients with previous severe mental illness (SMI), such as psychotic patients. The aim of this work was a comprehensive review about NPS use in patients with SMI. We searched Medline or PubMed for relevant English-language citations and reviews describing relationships between NPS use and mental disorders, as well as for the main groups of substances and associated psychiatric manifestations. All studies reporting single case or case series of patients were selected. The NPS use in patients with SMI is probably underestimated. The one existing systematic review considers only 14 studies, 12 of which are case reports. Most clinical results report acute symptom exacerbation of preexisting psychosis. Paranoid, mood, and aggression symptoms occur more frequently. NPS use could modify clinical features of SMI, but these conclusions cannot be generalizable. More evidence is needed to establish the causal and effective connection between NPS use and course of illness, type of psychiatric symptoms, and outcome of treatment in terms of adherence or response. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. Prevalence of Substance Abuse among Senior Secondary Students in Mainland Local Government, Lagos

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    George N. Ani

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Substance abuse refers to the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs. Use of drugs among adolescents is a global phenomenon eating deep into the fabrics of our society. Students are most vulnerable at this transformative stage in their life. Available report indicates that Nigeria is currently the highest consumer of cannabis and amphetamine in Africa. What is the prevalence of this abuse by students? Methodology: This research was a cross sectional descriptive design to identify the prevalence of substance abuse among students in public senior secondary schools in Mainland Local Government, Lagos. A sample size of two hundred and sixty two was determined and used from randomly selected five out of the nine public schools identified. Multi stage sampling (including simple random and systematic sampling and probability proportional to size methods were usefully employed in scientific selection of 262 samples and subsequent data collection in a total sample frame of 1,938 students. Self-administered questionnaire consisting of open and close-ended questions generated using research objectives was used in data collection. Result: It identified that 19.5% had smoked cigarette once or more in their lifetime. 77.2% had used alcohol once or more in a life time while 7.7% used marijuana, 8.4% tranquilizers and 1.9% cocaine all in a life time respectively. Conclusion: It recommended strict regulation of alcohol and tobacco products import and use in public places as well as aggressive dissemination of information on the dangers of substance use and abuse.

  9. [Evaluation of selected socioeconomic factors in patients with acute ethanol intoxication and alcohol withdrawal syndrome].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lukasik-Głębocka, Magdalena; Sommerfeld, Karina

    2014-01-01

    Ethanol is commonly overused psychoactive substance in Poland and all around the world. It causes addiction, which occurs as a result of its chronic administration. One of the main symptoms of addiction is hunger due to psychoactive substance that prevents interruption of its adoption and contributes to relapse drinking. Acute poisoning with ethyl alcohol and alcohol withdrawal syndrome are diseases causing a potential danger to life. The prevalence of use and abuse of alcoholic beverages is a potential risk, causing health problems, including permanent damage of the central and peripheral nervous system and socio-economic problems. The aim of this study is to analyze certain aspects of the socio-economic situation of the patients hospitalized in the Department of Toxicology in Raszeja City Hospital in Poznan due to acute ethanol intoxication or alcohol withdrawal syndrome in 2010. 299 patients history was evaluated, among which 161 were treated for acute intoxication with ethanol and 138 due to alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Objects of interest were elements of subjective tests including: marital status of patients, their education and professional activity and the problem of homelessness. The study group consisted of 299 patients in age from 16 to 77 years, hospitalized in the Department of Toxicology in Raszeja City Hospital in Poznan due to acute ethanol intoxication or alcohol withdrawal syndrome. It was found that the largest group consisted of patients remaining married (42.81%) and unmarried (30.43%). Alcohol abuse affects people of all levels of education. In the present study, most patients had a vocational education (37.79%) and medium (23.08%). Patients were analyzed in terms of economic activity, among which about 40% were unemployed. In the whole group more than 10% of those were homeless. Ethyl alcohol intoxication and alcohol withdrawal represents a significant hazard. As a result of reliance, patients lose control of alcohol consumption and they

  10. Correlatos psicosociales del consumo de sustancias psicoactivas en adolescentes españoles Psychosocial correlations of the experimentation with psychoactive substances in Spanish teenagers

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    María de la Villa Moral

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Objetivo. Analizar los factores que determinan el consumo juvenil de sustancias psicoactivas evaluando la capacidad predictiva de variables actitudinales, afectivas, relacionales a nivel familiar y grupal, así como académicas, entre otras. Material y métodos. Se ha seleccionado una muestra de 750 adolescentes del Principado de Asturias (España (moda 15 años, media=14.69 escolarizados en el curso académico 2008-2009. Resultados. Se ha confirmado que los adolescentes que consumen alcohol y otras drogas presentan un perfil diferencial respecto a los no consumidores en factores relativos a la mayor permisividad actitudinal, efecto de modelado paterno y del grupo de iguales, insatisfacción institucional, inestabilidad emocional y manifestación de más conductas disruptivas con problemas de relación y búsquedas de atención. Conclusiones. A partir de nuestro modelo etiológico se concluye que el consumo juvenil de drogas está determinado por la interrelación de variables personales, familiares, escolares y psicosociales.Objective. To offer an analysis of the factors that determine the consumption of psychoactive substances by youth and to evaluate the predictive capacity of variables related to attitude, affect, the family and groups, as well as academics, among others. Materials and Methods. A sample of 750 adolescents was selected at the Principado de Asturias (Spain (mode 15 years of age, mean=14.69 enrolled during the 2008-2009 academic year. Results. It was confirmed that the teenagers who consumed alcohol and other drugs present a differential profile as compared to non-consumers with respect to greater attitudinal permissiveness, effect of paternal modelling and peer groups, institutional dissatisfaction, emotional instability, and manifestation of more disruptive conducts with problems relating to others and attention-seeking. Conclusions. From our ethiological model we conclude that the consumption of drugs by youth is determined

  11. Catastrophes et consommation des substances psychoactives

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    Krivokapić Žilijeta

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available (francuski Les catastrophes, les accidents, les stress, les traumatismes sont des expériences négatives de vie accompagnées de changements physiologiques, cognitifs, émotionnels et comportementaux. Les stratégies les plus courantes inefficaces à résoudre les expériences de vie négatives sont: l' agression - ouverte (physique et / ou verbale, passive et latente, le retrait social, le placage, la dépression, l'impuissance, l' isolement et l' abus de médicaments, en particulier de drogues. Les personnes se trouvant dans des situations stressantes essayent de s' aider elles-mêmes souvent en recourant à des substances qui procurent une amélioration de leur état et suppriment le malaise momentané. Cette 'thérapie par auto-thérapie' comporte de graves risques La personne qui, après une période de consommation de ces substances devenaient dépendante, manifeste des changements visibles au niveau physique et psychologique. Elle se dérobe à ses obligations, rompt avec les activités auxquelles elle prenait plaisir autrefois de même qu' avec ses loisirs et ses intérêts; elle change des amis, ses relations familiales et amicales deviennent pauvres et remplies de nombreux conflits; elle devient moins critique et plus manipulative, commence à mentir, trompe pour dissimuler sa toxicomanie, rejoint un groupe de ses semblables, se livre à des activités criminogènes, de plus en plus se dégrade physiquement. L' alcool qui, étant le plus accessible et par conséquent généralement 'la première mesure d' auto-thérapie', a un impact particulièrement dévastateur sur l' organisme sensible au point de vue psycho-physique. Nous assistons à de nombreuses difficultés et des problèmes qui, à la suite de la consommation d' alcool, aggravent ceux liés à des expériences des événements traumatisants. De même l' efficacité de certains comprimés de réduire les tensions ou d' améliorer l' état du patient conduit fréquemment

  12. MDMA: interactions with other psychoactive drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamed, Wael M Y; Ben Hamida, Sami; Cassel, Jean-Christophe; de Vasconcelos, Anne Pereira; Jones, Byron C

    2011-10-01

    3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) is one of the most widely abused illegal drugs. Some users self-report euphoria and an increased perception and feeling of closeness to others. When taken in warm environments, MDMA users may develop acute complications with potential fatal consequences. In rodents, MDMA increases locomotor activity and, depending on ambient temperature, may produce a dose-dependent, potentially lethal hyperthermia. Like most other recreational drugs, MDMA is frequently taken in combination with other substances including tobacco, EtOH, marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine and, caffeine. Although polydrug use is very common, the understanding of the effects of this multiple substance use, as well as the analysis of consequences of different drug-drug associations, received rather little attention. The purpose of this review is to summarize our current knowledge about the changes on MDMA-related behavior, pharmacology, and neurotoxicity associated with co-consumption of other drugs of abuse and psychoactive agents. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. [Quality of life among people addicted to psychoactive substances participating in the opiate substitution treatment].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotwas, Artur; Karakiewicz, Beata; Sein Anand, Jacek

    2014-01-01

    Opiate addiction remains a major threat to public health worldwide. It also had a number of negative consequences for the psychosocial and economic functioning of abusers. One of the most common addiction treatment method is maintenance methadone therapy. An important part of evaluating the effectiveness of the participation of a person addicted to methadone treatment is to assess the quality of life determined by participation in substitution therapy. Quality of life of persons addicted to psychoactive substances determined by socio-demographic situation. The study involved 234 outpatient addicts included in the methadone maintenance treatment programs in Szczecin, Warsaw and Lublin. It was based on a diagnostic survey performed using an original questionnaire and the SF-36 v2. In a research of subjective qual- ity of life, respondents obtained results at the level sufficient, higher values were obtained in the domains of physical than mental health. Respondents from Szczecin and Warszawa scored higher, statistically significant, the assessment than patients from Lublin. 1. Variation of respondents quality of life was conditioned by the place of performance of therapy. 2. Respondents had the greatest disparity in the subjective evaluation of physical and mental health. 3. Age was an important factor affecting the marks obtained by the respondents in the SF-36 v2.

  14. Can Google Searches Predict the Popularity and Harm of Psychoactive Agents?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jankowski, Wojciech; Hoffmann, Marcin

    2016-02-25

    Predicting the popularity of and harm caused by psychoactive agents is a serious problem that would be difficult to do by a single simple method. However, because of the growing number of drugs it is very important to provide a simple and fast tool for predicting some characteristics of these substances. We were inspired by the Google Flu Trends study on the activity of the influenza virus, which showed that influenza virus activity worldwide can be monitored based on queries entered into the Google search engine. Our aim was to propose a fast method for ranking the most popular and most harmful drugs based on easily available data gathered from the Internet. We used the Google search engine to acquire data for the ranking lists. Subsequently, using the resulting list and the frequency of hits for the respective psychoactive drugs combined with the word "harm" or "harmful", we estimated quickly how much harm is associated with each drug. We ranked the most popular and harmful psychoactive drugs. As we conducted the research over a period of several months, we noted that the relative popularity indexes tended to change depending on when we obtained them. This suggests that the data may be useful in monitoring changes over time in the use of each of these psychoactive agents. Our data correlate well with the results from a multicriteria decision analysis of drug harms in the United Kingdom. We showed that Google search data can be a valuable source of information to assess the popularity of and harm caused by psychoactive agents and may help in monitoring drug use trends.

  15. Uso de substâncias psicoativas entre universitários de medicina da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo Psychoactive substance use among Medicine students from Espirito Santo Federal University

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    Denis Soprani Pereira

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Traçar o perfil do uso de substâncias psicoativas entre os universitários do Curso de Medicina do Centro de Ciências da Saúde da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo exploratório, descritivo, transversal e quantitativo, desenvolvido com 168 universitários, do primeiro ao último ano do curso de medicina. O instrumento utilizado na coleta de dados foi o Questionário sobre o Uso de Drogas, uma adaptação do questionário proposto pela OMS¹. Os dados foram tabulados por meio do programa Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS². RESULTADOS: Ao todo, 54,8% dos universitários são do sexo feminino, 76,8% se encontram na faixa etária de 17 a 22 anos e 50% pertencem à classe social B. Quanto ao uso de substâncias psicoativas, 86,9% relataram uso na vida de álcool, seguido de tabaco (22,0%, solventes (15,5%, anfetaminas (10,1%, cannabis sativa (9,5%, alucinógenos com 1,8% e barbitúricos com 0,6%. CONCLUSÃO: Faz-se necessária a prevenção do uso indevido de substâncias psicoativas entre universitários, por meio de disciplinas curriculares que abordem a temática e de programas de prevenção destinados a essa população.OBJECTIVE: To describe the profile of the psychoactive substances used among the college students from the Medicine course in the Center of Health Sciences in, Espirito Santo Federal University. METHODS: It is a exploratory, descriptive, transversal and quantitative study developed within 168 college students of Medicine from the first to the last year of the course. The instrument used to collect data was the Questionnaire on Drug Abuse, an adaptation from the questionnaire proposed by WHO¹. The data had been tabulated through the Social Science Program Statistical Package (SPSS². RESULTS: Overall, 54.8% of the college students are females, 76.8%, from 17 to 22 years and 50% belonging to social class "B". As for the use of psychoactive substances, a high

  16. Comorbid substance use disorder in schizophrenia: a selective overview of neurobiological and cognitive underpinnings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thoma, Patrizia; Daum, Irene

    2013-09-01

    Although individuals with schizophrenia show a lifetime prevalence of 50% for suffering from a comorbid substance use disorder, substance abuse usually represents an exclusion criterion for studies on schizophrenia. This implies that surprisingly little is known about a large group of patients who are particularly difficult to treat. The aim of the present work is to provide a brief and non-exhaustive overview of the current knowledgebase about neurobiological and cognitive underpinnings for dual diagnosis schizophrenia patients. Studies published within the last 20 years were considered using computerized search engines. The focus was on nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, cannabis and cocaine being among the most common substances of abuse. All drugs of abuse target dopaminergic, glutamatergic and GABAergic transmission which are also involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Current literature suggests that neurocognitive function might beless disrupted in substance-abusing compared to non-abusing schizophrenia patients, but in particular the neuroimaging database on this topic is sparse. Detrimental effects on brain structure and function were shown for patients for whom alcohol is the main substance of abuse. It is as yet unclear whether this finding might be an artifact of age differences of patient subgroups with different substance abuse patterns. More research is warranted on the specific neurocognitive underpinnings of schizophrenia patients abusing distinct psychoactive substances. Treatment programs might either benefit from preserved cognitive function as a resource or specifically target cognitive impairment in different subgroups of addicted schizophrenia patients. © 2013 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2013 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

  17. DoD Alcohol and Substance Abuse Consortium Award

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-01

    formerly ORG 34517) in Veterans with Co-morbid PTSD/AUD” (Principal Investigator: Dewleen G. Baker, MD) The primary objective of this study is to...test the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a novel GR antagonist PT150 (formerly ORG 34517) for AUD/PTSD dual diagnosis treatment in veterans. The...Pharmacotherapies for Alcohol and Substance Abuse (PASA) Consortium PI: Rick Williams, PhD & Thomas Kosten, MD Org : RTI International Study Research Planning

  18. Substance Use in the Club Scene of Rome: A Pilot Study

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    Alessandro Emiliano Vento

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. Over the last few years, a wide number of unregulated substances have been marketed on the Web and in smart and head shops; they are usually advertised as legal alternatives to commonly known drugs and are defined as “smart drugs,” “legal highs,” and “novel psychoactive substances” (NPS. Aim of our work is to describe use habits and distribution of NPS in a population of young adults in Rome club scene. Methods. A self-administered questionnaire was proposed to subjects over 18 years of age at the entrance of 5 nightclubs in Rome. Socioeconomic characteristics and substance use were investigated. Results. Preliminary results give evidence that 78% of respondents have a lifetime history of NPS use. In addition, 56% of the sample has consumed illicit drugs in the past and 39% has used psychoactive substances in the 12 hours preceding the questionnaire administration. Conclusions. A significant proportion of subjects report use of novel psychoactive substances; traditional illicit drugs consumption, particularly cocaine, appears to be very high as well in the club scene. These data highlight a serious public health challenge, since pharmacological, toxicological, and psychopathological effects linked to interactions among all these substances may be unpredictable and sometimes fatal in vulnerable individuals.

  19. Can mobile phone technology support a rapid sharing of information on novel psychoactive substances among health and other professionals internationally?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simonato, Pierluigi; Bersani, Francesco S; Santacroce, Rita; Cinosi, Eduardo; Schifano, Fabrizio; Bersani, Giuseppe; Martinotti, Giovanni; Corazza, Ornella

    2017-05-01

    The diffusion of novel psychoactive substances (NPSs), combined with the ability of the Internet to act as an online marketplace, has led to unprecedented challenges for governments, health agencies, and substance misuse services. Despite increasing research, there is a paucity of reliable information available to professionals working in the field. The paper will present the pilot results of the first mobile application (SMAIL) for rapid information sharing on NPSs among health professionals. The development of SMAIL was divided into 2 parts: (a) the creation of the application for registered users, enabling them to send an SMS or email with the name or "street name" of an NPS and receive within seconds emails or SMS with the information, when available and (b) the development of a database to support the incoming requests. One hundred twenty-two professionals based in 22 countries used the service over the pilot period of 16 months (from May 2012 to September 2013). Five hundred fifty-seven enquires were made. Users received rapid information on NPSs, and 61% of them rated the service as excellent. This is the right time to use mobile phone technologies for rapid information sharing and prevention activities on NPSs. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Prevalence and risk factors of alcohol and substance abuse among motorcycle drivers in Fars province, Iran

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Seyed Taghi Heydari; Mehrdad Vossoughi; Armin Akbarzadeh; Kamran B.Lankarani; Yaser Sarikhani; Kazem Javanmardi; Ali Akbary

    2016-01-01

    Purpose:The aim of this present study is to investigate the prevalence of alcohol and substance abuse (ASA) and its relationship with other risky driving behaviors among motorcycle drivers.Methods:This is a cross sectional study which is performed at Shiraz city of Iran.Data from motorcycle drivers were collected using a standard questionnaire in eight major streets at different times of the dayThe data includes consumption of alcohol and other substances two hours before driving and some of the risky behaviors during driving.Results:A total of 414 drivers with a mean ± SD age of(27.0 + 9.3) years participated in the study.Alcohol or substance consumptions two hours before driving was significantly associated with risky driving behaviors such as using mobile phone during driving,poor maneuvering,and driving over the speed limit (both p < 0.001).It was also associated with carelessness about safety such as driving with technical defects (p < 0.001) and not wearing a crash helmet (p =0.008).Conclusion:Screening for alcohol and substance consumption among motorcycle drivers is an efficient way to identifiy drivers that are at a greater risk for road traffic accidents.

  1. Prevalence of Substance Use Among Patients of Community Health Centers in East Los Angeles and Tijuana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gelberg, Lillian; Natera Rey, Guillermina; Andersen, Ronald M; Arroyo, Miriam; Bojorquez-Chapela, Ietza; Rico, Melvin W; Vahidi, Mani; Yacenda-Murphy, Julia; Arangua, Lisa; Serota, Martin

    2017-02-23

    Given the increased use of psychoactive substances on the United States-Mexico border, a binational study (Tijuana, Mexico-Los Angeles, USA) was conducted to identify the prevalence of substance use in primary care settings. To compare the prevalence and characteristics of patients at risk for substance use disorders in Tijuana and East Los Angeles (LA) community clinics with special attention paid to drug use. This was an observational, cross-sectional, analytical study, comparing substance use screening results from patients in Tijuana and LA. The settings were 2 community clinics in LA and 6 in Tijuana. Participants were 2,507 adult patients in LA and 2,890 in Tijuana eligible for WHO Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) screening during March-October 2013. Patients anonymously self-administered the WHO ASSIST on a tablet PC in the clinic waiting rooms. Of eligible patients, 96.4% completed the ASSIST in Tijuana and 88.7% in LA (mean 1.34 minutes and 4.20 minutes, respectively). The prevalence of patients with moderate-to-high substance use was higher in LA than Tijuana for each substance: drugs 19.4% vs. 5.7%, alcohol 15.2% vs. 6.5%, tobacco 20.4% vs. 16.2%. LA patients born in Mexico had 2x the odds and LA patients born in the United States had 6x the odds of being a moderate-to-high drug user compared to Tijuana patients born in Mexico. Moderate-to-high drug use is higher in LA than in Tijuana but rates are sufficiently high in both to suggest that screening for drug use (along with alcohol and tobacco use) should be integrated into routine primary care of community clinics in both cities.

  2. Alcohol, tobacco and illicit substances in music videos: a content analysis of prevalence and genre.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruber, Enid L; Thau, Helaine M; Hill, Douglas L; Fisher, Deborah A; Grube, Joel W

    2005-07-01

    Content analyses examined mention of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit substances in music videos (n = 359) broadcast in 2001, as well as genre and presence of humor. Findings indicated that references to illicit substances were more prevalent than tobacco in music videos. Humor was 2.5 times as likely to appear in videos containing references to substances than those without substances.

  3. EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF DRUG/PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE USE AMONG SENIOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN WUHAN AREA%武汉地区中学生使用药物/精神活性物质的流行病学调查

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    赵苳; 连智; 穆悦; 吕宪祥; 张杰; 周伟华; 曹家琪; 刘志民; 蔡大勇; 赵厚裕; 别雪君

    2001-01-01

    目的:了解武汉地区中学生使用药物/精神活性物质情况。方法:采用随机抽样方法,使用自拟《学生用药情况调查表》对该地区高二学生进行调查。调查内容包括8种药物/精神活性物质“一生”、“最近30d”的使用情况、用药频率(经常、偶尔)、最初使用年龄、使用原因与后果等。结果:在2923例有效问卷中,“一生中经常”使用最多的物质是挥发性溶剂(2.89%),其他物质依次是酒(2.31%)、烟草(0.94%)、非甾体抗炎止痛药(0.76%)。“一生中偶尔”使用最多的是酒(71.08%),其他物质依次是非甾体抗炎止痛药(28.34%)、挥发性溶剂(17.94%)、烟草(16.31%)。各种物质的初次使用年龄介于7a至12a之间。使用非甾体抗炎止痛药和镇静催眠药的主要原因是治病(分别占99.20%和83.33%);使用挥发性溶剂、饮酒、吸烟的主要原因是“好奇”和“受周围人影响”(分别占83.65%,81.64%,93.53%)。60.25%的挥发性溶剂滥用者感到身体受到了损害;烟酒使用者中分别有56.55%和37.04%感到身体受到损害。结论:在部分中学生中已发现对挥发性溶剂、酒、香烟和某些精神药物使用成瘾现象,极个别学生有滥用违禁毒品的行为。建议加强对中学生的药物滥用预防教育。%Objective: To survey drug/psychoactive substance use among seniormiddle school students in Wuhan area. Method: Epidemiological study on the use of drugs/psychoactive substances among senior middle school students was carried out. This representative samples were randomly selected by cluster sampling throughout this province. Totally 2923 students completed this self-reported questionnaire survey. Result: The lifetime prevalence of substance use for more than 20 days during the month before the survey indicated the following data: solvents 2.89%, alcohol 2.31

  4. Uso de substâncias na adolescência e problemas familiares Adolescent substance use and family problems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    André Malbergier

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Esta pesquisa visou a avaliar a associação entre o consumo de substâncias (álcool, tabaco e drogas ilícitas e problemas familiares numa amostra de 965 adolescentes em 50 escolas públicas de dois municípios do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, em 2007. Foi utilizado o Drug Use Screening Inventory (DUSI para a coleta de dados. O uso de álcool, tabaco e drogas ilícitas foi associado à avaliação negativa da relação familiar, à falta de suporte/monitoramento e ao uso de substâncias por familiares (p This study aimed to evaluate the association between substance use (alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs and family problems among 965 adolescents from 50 public schools in two cities in São Paulo State, Brazil, in 2007. The Drug Use Screening Inventory (DUSI was used for data collection. Use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs was associated with a negative assessment of the family relationship, lack of monitoring/support, and psychoactive substance use by family members (p < 0.05. Adolescents that reported having used alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs had more family problems than those who did not consume any substance (p < 0.001. Adolescents that used alcohol and tobacco (p = 0.028 and illicit drugs (p < 0.001 reported having more family problems than those who used only alcohol. The results highlight the importance of awareness of alcohol and tobacco use by adolescents, since such use was associated with significant family impairments, similar to illicit drug use.

  5. Consumption of psychoactive substances in educational institutions: an inquiry into the state of affairs in the schools of Córdoba.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucchese, M S M; Burrone, M S; Enders, J E; Fernández, A R

    2014-01-01

    This study describes and analyses the consumption of psychoactive substances in educational institutions, the school environment conditions and its relation to the school standing of the students. In the first stage, a quantitative evaluation was performed, based on the records of the Second National Survey of Secondary School Students carried out in Córdoba in 2005; the second stage used a qualitative approach. A multistage probabilistic sample of 4593 students was used for the quantitative assessment. The analysis comprised summary measurements, multivariate and factorial correspondence analysis, in all cases with a significance level of p consumption is lower among morning-shift students and that grade repetition and behavior problems are associated to consumption of illegal drugs. Furthermore, it was detected that students in night-shift schools with low academic and disciplinary demand standards have a higher probability of consumption. It is clear that as academic standards decrease, consumption increases.

  6. Profile of alcohol consumption in high school adolescents.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karla Ferraz dos Anjos

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Alcohol, psychoactive substance, harmful to health, has been widely accepted and consumed by society in a premature manner. The Brazilian contemporaneous reality has demonstrated a high number of adolescents who consume alcohol on regularly basis, and nowadays, its damages start to be evident, hence the importance of contextualizing this issue in relation to adolescents. This study aims to determine the profile of alcohol consumption in adolescent students of a public high school in a city of the inland of Bahia, Brazil. It is a descriptive study with quantitative approach, conducted with 98 male and female students, and a structured questionnaire used to collect data, which was analyzed with aid of descriptive statistics. The survey was approved by the Ethics inResearch Committee Involving Human Beings, of the State University of Southwest Bahia –campus of Jequié-Bahia, Brazil under Protocol 179/2009. It was perceived that most of the teenagers had already consumed alcohol prematurely, with minimal difference between male and female gender. Several of these adolescents continue consuming too much and too often, influenced by friends, family and media. It can be concluded that it is imperative to insert educational methodological proposals at schools which shouldinstruct about premature and indiscriminate alcohol consumption, addressing principally risk factors and possible biopsychosocial complications.

  7. Alcohol use and substance use disorders in Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq War veterans compared with nondeployed military personnel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelsall, Helen Louise; Wijesinghe, Millawage Supun Dilara; Creamer, Mark Christopher; McKenzie, Dean Philip; Forbes, Andrew Benjamin; Page, Matthew James; Sim, Malcolm Ross

    2015-01-01

    Although recent veterans have been found to be at increased risk of psychiatric disorders, limited research has focused on alcohol or substance use disorders. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether alcohol or substance use disorders were more common in Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq War veterans compared with military comparison groups nondeployed to the corresponding conflict, including never deployed personnel. Literature was searched (1990-2014) in multiple electronic databases. Studies were assessed for eligibility and quality, including risk of bias. Eighteen studies (1997-2014) met inclusion criteria. Pooled analysis based on a random-effects model yielded a summary odds ratio of 1.33 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22, 1.46) for alcohol (7 studies) and 2.13 (95% CI: 0.96, 4.72) for substance use (3 studies) disorders among Gulf War veterans, as well as 1.36 (95% CI: 1.11, 1.66) for alcohol (7 studies) and 1.14 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.25) for substance use (4 studies) disorders among Iraq/Afghanistan veterans; meta-regressions found no statistically significant association between theater of war and alcohol use or substance use disorders. Our findings indicate that Gulf and Iraq/Afghanistan war veterans are at higher alcohol use disorder risk than nondeployed veterans, but further studies with increased power are needed to assess substance use disorder risk in Gulf War veteran populations. © Commonwealth of Australia 2015.

  8. Prevalence of alcohol and other psychoactive substances in injured drivers : comparison between Belgium and The Netherlands.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Legrand, S.-A. Houwing, S. Hagenzieker, M. & Verstraete, A.G.

    2013-01-01

    The study objective was to compare the prevalence of alcohol and (il)licit drugs in seriously injured drivers in Belgium (BE) and the Netherlands (NL). Injured car and van drivers admitted to the emergency departments of five hospitals in Belgium and three in the Netherlands from January 2008 to May

  9. CONSUMO DE ALCOHOL Y FACTORES DE RIESGO EN ESTUDIANTES DE DOS UNIVERSIDADES COLOMBIANAS. (ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AND RISK FACTORS IN STUDENTS OF TWO COLOMBIAN UNIVERSITIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Víctor Hugo Cano Bedoya

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available El objetivo fue identificar factores de riesgo del consumo de alcohol en estudiantes universitarios colombianos. Participaron 397 mujeres y 312 hombres, estudiantes de dos universidades privadas y católicas de la ciudad de Medellín (Colombia. Los resultados identificaron como factores de riesgo las dificultades para decir “no” a la gente (p=0.012 y el consumo de sustancias psicoactivas por miembros de la familia (p=0.022.Abstract:The objective of the current research was to identify the risk factors associated to alcohol consumption of Colombian University students. 397 women and 312 men, students from two private and Catholic universities in the city of Medellín (Colombia took part in it. The results identified as risk factors the difficulties to say 'no' to the people (p=0.012 and the consumption of psychoactive substances by members of the family (p=0.022.

  10. Working conditions and illicit psychoactive substance use among truck drivers in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Girotto, Edmarlon; de Andrade, Selma Maffei; Mesas, Arthur Eumann; González, Alberto Durán; Guidoni, Camilo Molino

    2015-11-01

    The aim of this study was to identify the role that working conditions play in predicting the consumption of illicit psychoactive substances (IPS) among truck drivers. This cross-sectional study was conducted with truck drivers who transport grains to Paranaguá Port, PR, Brazil. The truck drivers were interviewed, and they completed a self-administered questionnaire regarding their sociodemographics, lifestyles, working conditions, and consumption of IPS over the past 30 days. The statistical analysis included logistic regression models progressively adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle variables. A total of 670 male drivers with a mean age of 41.9 (±11.1) years were assessed. The prevalence of IPS consumption over the past 30 days was 10.9% (n=73). The drugs used primarily consisted of amphetamines (n=61). After adjusting for working characteristics, sociodemographic and lifestyle variables, the following working conditions were associated with the consumption of IPS: driving mostly at night (OR=3.91; 95% CI 1.75 to 8.74), driving while tired (OR=2.26; 95% CI 1.31 to 3.89), and earning a higher monthly income (OR=2.08; 95% CI 1.16 to 3.72). Drivers who were 39 years old or younger (OR=2.11; 95% CI 1.05 to 4.25) and not living with a partner (OR=2.22; 95% CI 1.17 to 4.22) were also more likely to consume IPS. Driving mostly at night, being tired, and earning more increase the use of IPS among truck drivers, regardless of other working characteristics, sociodemographic, and lifestyle variables. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  11. Perceived ease of access to alcohol, tobacco and other substances in rural and urban US students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warren, Jacob C; Smalley, K Bryant; Barefoot, K Nikki

    2015-01-01

    Ease of access to substances has been shown to have a direct and significant relationship with substance use for school-aged children. Previous research involving rural samples of middle and high school students reveals that perceived ease of access to substances is a significant predictor of recent use among rural adolescents; however, it is unclear if perceived access to substances varies between rural and urban areas. The purpose of the present study was to examine rural-urban differences in perceived ease of access to alcohol, smoking and chewing tobacco, marijuana, and seven other substances in the US state of Georgia in order to better inform and promote future substance use prevention and programming efforts in rural areas. Data were analyzed from the 2013 Georgia Student Health Survey II, administered in all public and interested private/charter schools in the state of Georgia. A total of 513 909 students (18.2% rural) indicated their perceived ease of access to 11 substances on a four-point Likert-type scale. Rural-urban differences were investigated using χ2 analysis. In general, it appeared the rural-urban differences fell along legal/illicit lines. For middle school students, a significant difference in perceived ease of access was found for each substance, with rural students reporting greater access to smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, and steroids, and urban students reporting greater access to alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, ecstasy, methamphetamine, hallucinogens, and prescription drugs. Rural high school students reported higher access to alcohol, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, and steroids, with urban students reporting higher access to marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, ecstasy, and hallucinogens. Perceptions of ease of access more than doubled for each substance in both geographies between middle and high school. The present study found multiple and fairly consistent differences between rural and urban students' perceived ease of access

  12. Prevalence and risk factors of substance use (SPA, in students of secondary education institution in the city of Popayán, Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diego Fernando Hoyos-Samboní

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To describe the prevalence, risk factors and risk perception of psychoactive substance use among students at an educational institution average male in Popayan city. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study of a stratified sample of 224 participants from a population of 810 high school students divided in 22 subgroups. Participants registered an instrument type survey divided into four components: sociodemographic characteristics, prevalence of consumption, risk factors, component for which the instrument was adapted from the DUSI (Drug Use Screening Inventory and perception of risk. The results were tabulated through the program "Microsoft Excel". Results: The most commonly used substance is alcohol with consumption in the last month of 9.8%. Alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and amphetamines are substances that are consumed from 6th to 11th grade. Of the nine Risk Factors studied, four were with Moderate Severity: Mental condition, Personal Conduct, relationship with friends and peers, and Health Status. The average perceived "great risk" is 75.1%, being higher for crack users (88% and lowest for alcohol (51.8%. In contrast, the perception of "no risk" and "slight risk" averaged 3.9% and 7.2%, respectively. Conclusion: We found a high intake of alcohol, marijuana and cocaine, and all the high school courses describe contact with SPA. There is a tendency to normalize smoking and alcohol consumption. It’s recommended to work the risk factors that have not yet showing high severity.

  13. Alcohol and Drug Abuse Among U.S. Veterans: Comparing Associations with Intimate Partner Substance Abuse and Veteran Psychopathology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Mark W.; Reardon, Annemarie F.; Wolf, Erika J.; Prince, Lauren B.; Hein, Christina L.

    2013-01-01

    This study examined the relative influences of PTSD, other psychopathology, and intimate partner alcohol and drug use on substance-related problems in U.S. veterans (242 couples, N = 484). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that partner alcohol and drug use severity explained more variance in veteran alcohol use and drug use (20% and 13%, respectively) than did veteran PTSD, adult antisocial behavior, or depression symptoms combined (6% for veteran alcohol use; 7% for veteran drug use). Findings shed new light on the influence of relationship factors on veteran alcohol and drug use and underscore the importance of couples-oriented approaches to treating veterans with comorbid PTSD and substance abuse. PMID:23325433

  14. Current applications of high-resolution mass spectrometry for the analysis of new psychoactive substances: a critical review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasin, Daniel; Cawley, Adam; Bidny, Sergei; Fu, Shanlin

    2017-10-01

    The proliferation of new psychoactive substances (NPS) in recent years has resulted in the development of numerous analytical methods for the detection and identification of known and unknown NPS derivatives. High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) has been identified as the method of choice for broad screening of NPS in a wide range of analytical contexts because of its ability to measure accurate masses using data-independent acquisition (DIA) techniques. Additionally, it has shown promise for non-targeted screening strategies that have been developed in order to detect and identify novel analogues without the need for certified reference materials (CRMs) or comprehensive mass spectral libraries. This paper reviews the applications of HRMS for the analysis of NPS in forensic drug chemistry and analytical toxicology. It provides an overview of the sample preparation procedures in addition to data acquisition, instrumental analysis, and data processing techniques. Furthermore, it gives an overview of the current state of non-targeted screening strategies with discussion on future directions and perspectives of this technique. Graphical Abstract Missing the bullseye - a graphical respresentation of non-targeted screening. Image courtesy of Christian Alonzo.

  15. Pattern of alcohol consumption by young people from North Eastern Portugal

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    Gonçalves Isabel Amorim

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Alcohol is the most used psychoactive substance among adolescents, is an important public health problem and a major risk factor for the health of this group. This study is regarding to the pattern of alcohol consumption by adolescents. Descriptive, correlational and cross-sectional study, with a sample of 378 adolescents, which are attending three high schools, in north-eastern Portugal. In the data collection we used a questionnaire. Data was analysed using SPSS. The prevalence of alcohol is 86.8%. The mean score of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT was 3.53±4.525 points. The vast majority of participants were located in the non-excessive alcohol consumption area (91.3%. The pattern of alcohol consumption differs significantly between gender (Wald: p ≤ 0,004 and the religious practice (Wald: p ≤ 0,027, with greater percentage of boys and students who did not practice any religion in excessive consumers. The prevalence of alcohol consumers is high. The proportion of young people with excessive consumption in our sample is lower than in other studies, but shows that there is a group of adolescents in excessive consumption. It found a relationship between consumption pattern, gender and religious practice. These results justify the development of public health interventions.

  16. Experimentação e uso regular de bebidas alcoólicas, cigarros e outras substâncias psicoativas/SPA na adolescência Experimentation and regular use of alcoholic beverages, cigarettes and other Psychoactive Substances (PAS during adolescence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Conceição O. Costa

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: analisar o uso de bebidas alcoólicas, cigarros, outras substâncias psicoativas - SPA e fatores de risco entre adolescentes das escolas de um município com 500 mil/hab., Bahia/Brasil. MÉTODO: estudo transversal, com amostra aleatória, estratificada por conglomerado com adolescentes de 14 a 19 anos, totalizando 10 escolas públicas e 1.409 alunos de Feira de Santana. O instrumento auto-aplicável foi elaborado segundo a OMS e outros estudos nacionais adequados à faixa adolescente, com rigoroso procedimento, garantindo anonimato e sigilo. RESULTADOS: 86,5% dos adolescentes consideravam-se bem informados sobre SPA, a maioria por TV, rádio e escola; 57,0% relataram uso de bebidas alcoólicas, principalmente cervejas e vinhos; 23,3% usavam cigarros e 5,2% outras SPA (cânabis, solventes e cocaína; 29,3% usavam bebidas uma a três vezes/mês e 13% todo final de semana. Na faixa de 10 a 14 anos, 47% experimentaram bebidas e 16,7% outras SPA. A razão de prevalência (RP mostrou consumo de bebidas, cigarros e outras SPA significantemente maiores na faixa 17 a 19 anos e sexo masculino. A curiosidade foi a principal motivação; na companhia de amigos e pais; festas e casas de colegas. CONCLUSÕES: A Necessidade de institucionalização de atividades adequadas nas escolas à prevenção do uso das SPA entre jovens.OBJECTIVE: To analyze the use of alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, other psychoactive substances - PAS , among adolescents of public schools of Feira de Santana, Bahia/Brazil. METHOD: Cross sectional study with random samples, stratified in terms of conglomerate units (schools and students. The sample of the study totalled 1,409 adolescents between 14 and 19 years old from 10 public schools; 30% of the total of schools of the municipality with 500,000/inhabitants. The representation of schools and students was respected. The self-report instrument was elaborated according to OMS recommendations and as used in others studies1

  17. Perception among medical students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, regarding alcohol and substance abuse in the community: a cross-sectional survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Al-Haqwi Ali I

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This study was conducted to examine the perception and views of medical students regarding the extent of alcohol and substance abuse in the community and the possible predisposing factors for this problem. Methods It is a cross-sectional study involving samples from two medical colleges in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The students who decided to participate in the study without the offer of any incentives filled an anonymous, self administered questionnaire which had been designed to meet the purpose of the study. Results Two hundred and fifteen out of three hundred and thirty students (65% response rate participated in this study. About 75% of them believe that alcohol and substance abuse is a common problem in the community. Students' views also correspond with the reported view that the problem is mainly present in young adult males. Married males and senior students perceived the problem as more serious than their other colleagues. Students perceived that alcohol was the most commonly abused drug in the community, followed by amphetamines, heroin, cannabis and cocaine. They believe that influence of friends, life stressors, tobacco smoking and curiosity are the most important predisposing factors for abuse of alcohol and other substances. According to the students' perception, the main beneficial effect of alcohol and substance abuse was stress alleviation. About 3% of the students have also indicated that they may use alcohol or some other substance in the future. Conclusion Despite scarce information on the subject and a strong religious belief in Saudi Arabia against the use of alcohol and other addictive substances, a significant majority of the medical students in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, perceived that alcohol and substance abuse is a common problem in the community. Some students appear to perceive the seriousness of the problem less than others. Efforts are needed to educate young men and women at an early

  18. Typology of alcohol users based on longitudinal patterns of drinking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrington, Magdalena; Velicer, Wayne F; Ramsey, Susan

    2014-03-01

    Worldwide, alcohol is the most commonly used psychoactive substance. However, heterogeneity among alcohol users has been widely recognized. This paper presents a typology of alcohol users based on an implementation of idiographic methodology to examine longitudinal daily and cyclic (weekly) patterns of alcohol use at the individual level. A secondary data analysis was performed on the pre-intervention data from a large randomized control trial. A time series analysis was performed at the individual level, and a dynamic cluster analysis was employed to identify homogenous longitudinal patterns of drinking behavior at the group level. The analysis employed 180 daily observations of alcohol use in a sample of 177 alcohol users. The first order autocorrelations ranged from -.76 to .72, and seventh order autocorrelations ranged from -.27 to .79. Eight distinct profiles of alcohol users were identified, each characterized by a unique configuration of first and seventh autoregressive terms and longitudinal trajectories of alcohol use. External validity of the profiles confirmed the theoretical relevance of different patterns of alcohol use. Significant differences among the eight subtypes were found on gender, marital status, frequency of drug use, lifetime alcohol dependence, family history of alcohol use and the Short Index of Problems. Our findings demonstrate that individuals can have very different temporal patterns of drinking behavior. The daily and cyclic patterns of alcohol use may be important for designing tailored interventions for problem drinkers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Association between bullying victimization and substance use among college students in Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caravaca Sánchez, Francisco; Navarro Zaragoza, Javier; Luna Ruiz-Cabello, Aurelio; Falcón Romero, María; Luna Maldonado, Aurelio

    2016-06-14

    The purpose of this study is to analyze the prevalence and association between victimization and substance use among the university population in the southeast of Spain in a sample of 543 randomly selected college students (405 females and 138 males with an average age of 22.6 years). As a cross-sectional study, data was collected through an anonymous survey to assess victimization and drug use over the last 12 months. Results indicated that 62.2% of college students reported bullying victimization and 82.9% consumed some type of psychoactive substance, and found a statistically significant association between both variables measured. Additionally, logistic regression analysis confirmed the association between psychoactive substance use and different types of victimization. Our findings confirm the need for prevention to prevent this relation between victimization and substance use.

  20. Drug, nicotine, and alcohol use among exercisers: Does substance addiction co-occur with exercise addiction?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Attila Szabo

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Scholastic works suggest that those at risk for exercise addiction are also often addicted to illicit drugs, nicotine, and/or alcohol, but empirical evidence is lacking. Aims: The aim of the present work was to examine the co-occurrence of illicit drug, nicotine, and alcohol use frequency (prevalence of users and severity (level of problem in users among exercisers classified at three levels of risk for exercise addiction: (i asymptomatic, (ii symptomatic, and (iii at-risk. Methods: A sample of 538 regular exercisers were surveyed via the Qualtrics research platform. They completed the (i Drug Use Disorder Identification Test, (ii Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, (iii Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, and (iv Exercise Addition Inventory. Results: A large proportion (n=59; 10.97% of the sample was found to be at risk for exercise addiction. The proportion of drug and alcohol users among these participants did not differ from the rest of the sample. However, the incidence of nicotine consumption was lowest among them. The severity of problematic substance use did not differ across the groups. Conclusions: These findings suggest that substance addiction and the risk for exercise addiction are unrelated. In fact, those at risk for exercise addiction exhibited the healthiest profile related to the prevalence of smoking. Keywords: Alcohol drinking, Cigarette smoking, Exercise dependence, Illicit substance use, Physical activity, Sport

  1. Relationships as determinants of substance use amongst street ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Unrestrained exposure to street life often makes the street child vulnerable to psychoactive substances. In other settings, the social relationships of the substance user with those around him or her and family norms of parenting have been docu-mented to modulate use. However, there is a dearth of literature on ...

  2. Prevalence of alcohol use in pregnant women with substance use disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakhireva, Ludmila N; Shrestha, Shikhar; Garrison, Laura; Leeman, Lawrence; Rayburn, William F; Stephen, Julia M

    2018-06-01

    Prenatal care programs for women with opioid use disorder (OUD) often focus treatment/counseling plans around illicit substances, while concurrent use of alcohol might present an equal or greater risk to the fetus. This study evaluated self-reported prevalence of alcohol use in patients participating in a comprehensive prenatal care program for women with substance use disorder (SUD; n = 295), of which 95% are treated for OUD, and pregnant women being served through general obstetrical clinics at the University of New Mexico (n = 365). During the screening phase of a prospective study, patients were asked to report alcohol use in the periconceptional period, and between the last menstrual period and pregnancy recognition. The screening interview was conducted at 22.3 (median = 22; Q1 = 16; Q3 = 29) gestational weeks. Among patients screened at the SUD clinic, 28.8% and 24.1% reported at least one binge drinking episode in the periconceptional period and in early pregnancy, respectively. The prevalence of binge drinking was similar in the general obstetrics population (24.7% and 24.4%, respectively). Among those who reported drinking in early pregnancy, median number of binge drinking episodes was higher among patients screened at the SUD clinic (median = 3; Q1 = 1; Q3 = 10) compared to the general obstetrics group (median = 1; Q1 = 1; Q3 = 3; p < 0.001). This study demonstrates a high prevalence of prenatal alcohol use in early pregnancy in both groups, while patients with SUD/OUD consume more alcohol. These findings underscore the need for targeted screening and intervention for alcohol use in all pregnant women, especially those with SUD/OUD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Neighborhood Alcohol Outlet Density and Rates of Child Abuse and Neglect: Moderating Effects of Access to Substance Abuse Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morton, Cory M.; Simmel, Cassandra; Peterson, N. Andrew

    2014-01-01

    This study investigates the relationship between concentrations of on- and off-premises alcohol outlets and rates of child abuse and neglect. Additionally, the study seeks to locate protective features of a neighborhood's built environment by investigating the potentially moderating role that access to substance abuse treatment and prevention services plays in the relationship between alcohol outlet density and child maltreatment. Using a cross-sectional design, this ecological study utilized data from 163 census tracts in Bergen County, New Jersey, on reports of child abuse and neglect, alcohol outlets, substance abuse treatment and prevention facilities, and the United States Census to investigate the linkages between socioeconomic structure, alcohol availability, and access to substance abuse service facilities on rates of child abuse and neglect. Findings indicate areas with a greater concentration of on-premises alcohol outlets (i.e., bars) had higher rates of child neglect, and those with easier access to substance abuse services had lower rates of neglect, controlling for neighborhood demographic and socioeconomic structure. Additionally, the relationship between on-premises alcohol outlet density and rates of child neglect was moderated by the presence of substance abuse service facilities. A greater concentration of off-premises outlets (i.e., liquor stores) was associated with lower rates of physical abuse. Findings suggest that the built environment and socioeconomic structure of neighborhoods have important consequences for child well-being. The implications for future research on the structural features of neighborhoods that are associated with child well-being are discussed. PMID:24529493

  4. [Tobacco, alcohol, and drug use by teenagers in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil: a gender approach].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horta, Rogério Lessa; Horta, Bernardo Lessa; Pinheiro, Ricardo Tavares; Morales, Blanca; Strey, Marlene Neves

    2007-04-01

    This study assesses the relationship between gender and use of psychoactive substances (alcohol, nicotine, and illicit drugs) by teenagers. In 2002, a cross-sectional study was carried out in the urban area of Pelotas, southern Brazil. Multi-stage sampling was used to obtain a sample of adolescents, 15 to 18 years of age. Subjects were interviewed using a self-applied confidential questionnaire. Smoking was more prevalent among girls, while alcohol consumption in the previous month was more common among boys. Meanwhile, the proportion of adolescents that reported drug use in the previous month was unrelated to gender. Higher cigarette consumption by girls suggests an increase in smoking by women in the future, which highlights the need for a special focus on this area.

  5. PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE INTAKE AND GENDER ON CRIME

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Admin

    Knudten (1970) see crime as a conduct or an action that is defined ..... Among heavy consumers of alcohol (15.79%) were: (6.84%), 5.79% .... Rather than promoting drug use through advertisement, the media also should be used to enlighten ...

  6. Acute Intoxications Involving Synthetic Psychoactive Substances

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergey A. Vasil'ev

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a succinic acid derivate, a substrate metabolic agent cytoflavin in patients with acute poisoning with synthetic psychoactive drugs.Materials and methods. A retrospective evaluation of effectiveness of a combined intensive care treatment protocol for 622 patients with acute narcotic poisoning (methadone and synthetic cannabinoids was carried out. All patients were divided into two groups. The main group (112 patients, median age 38.2±12.0 years included patients who, in addition to the basic treatment, received cytoflavin by intravenous drop infusion, 20–40 ml diluted in 400–500 ml of 10% glucose, for 5 days. Patients of the reference group (510 subjects, median age 37.6±14.1 years received treatment according to the «classical scheme». In addition to conventional examination, all patients underwent duplex scanning of cerebral vessels, examination of changes in the cerebral blood circulation and electroencephalogram findings. The severity of somatic disorders was assessed using criteria of the Glasgow coma scale. The severity of the asthenic syndrome was assessed according to the MFI-20 scale.Results. Compared to patients who received a standard therapy, patients of the main group had a significantly more rapid recovery from coma (by 1.5-fold: 23.5±3.1 days, versus 15.1±3.0 days, respectively, P0.05; the duration of psychotic disorders was shorter (by 1.8-fold: 15.5±4.2 hours vs 8.3±2.5 hours., respectively, P0.05, and the intensity of asthenic syndrome (by 2.8-fold: 64.1±3.3 rel. units vs 23.0±4,9 rel. units, respectively, P0.05 was also lower.Conclusion. Inclusion of cytoflavin in a protocol of a complex treatment of patients with synthetic drugs poisoning increased the effectiveness of the therapy. Data demonstrate that inclusion of the drug can be recommended for treatment of acute synthetic narcotic poisoning. 

  7. A randomized controlled trial of a brief intervention for illicit drugs linked to the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) in clients recruited from primary health-care settings in four countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humeniuk, Rachel; Ali, Robert; Babor, Thomas; Souza-Formigoni, Maria Lucia O; de Lacerda, Roseli Boerngen; Ling, Walter; McRee, Bonnie; Newcombe, David; Pal, Hemraj; Poznyak, Vladimir; Simon, Sara; Vendetti, Janice

    2012-05-01

    This study evaluated the effectiveness of a brief intervention (BI) for illicit drugs (cannabis, cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants and opioids) linked to the World Health Organization (WHO) Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). The ASSIST screens for problem or risky use of 10 psychoactive substances, producing a score for each substance that falls into either a low-, moderate- or high-risk category. Prospective, randomized controlled trial in which participants were either assigned to a 3-month waiting-list control condition or received brief motivational counselling lasting an average of 13.8 minutes for the drug receiving the highest ASSIST score. Primary health-care settings in four countries: Australia, Brazil, India and the United States. A total of 731 males and females scoring within the moderate-risk range of the ASSIST for cannabis, cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants or opioids. ASSIST-specific substance involvement scores for cannabis, stimulants or opioids and ASSIST total illicit substance involvement score at baseline and 3 months post-randomization. Omnibus analyses indicated that those receiving the BI had significantly reduced scores for all measures, compared with control participants. Country-specific analyses showed that, with the exception of the site in the United States, BI participants had significantly lower ASSIST total illicit substance involvement scores at follow-up compared with the control participants. The sites in India and Brazil demonstrated a very strong brief intervention effect for cannabis scores (P Brazil (P illicit substance use and related risks is effective, at least in the short term, and the effect generalizes across countries. © 2011 The Authors, Addiction © 2011 Society for the Study of Addiction.

  8. Prevalence of alcohol and other psychoactive substances in drivers in general traffic. Part II: Country reports

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Houwing, Sjoerd; Hagenzieker, Marjan; Mathijssen, René

    2011-01-01

    by means of roadside surveys and the prevalence of drugs in injury accidents was estimated by means of hospital surveys of seriously injured and/or killed drivers. Accident risk estimates for drug driving were assessed by relating the prevalence of drugs among the general driving population...... to the prevalence among seriously injured and/or killed drivers, by relating medication records to accident data and by relating substance use among accidentinvolved drivers to accident culpability....

  9. PROFILE OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IN HIGH SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karla Ferraz dos Anjos

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Alcohol, psychoactive substance, harmful to health, has been widely accepted and consumed by society in a premature manner. The Brazilian contemporaneous reality has demonstrated a high number of adolescents who consume alcohol on regularly basis, and nowadays, its damages start to be evident, hence the importance of contextualizing this issue in relation to adolescents. This study aims to determine the profile of alcohol consumption in adolescent students of a public high school in a city of the inland of Bahia, Brazil. It is a descriptive study with quantitative approach, conducted with 98 male and female students, and a structured questionnaire used to collect data, which was analyzed with aid of descriptive statistics. The survey was approved by the Ethics in Research Committee Involving Human Beings, of the State Perfil do consumo de bebidas alcoólicas por adolescentes University of Southwest Bahia – campus of Jequié-Bahia, Brazil under Protocol 179/2009. It was perceived that most of the teenagers had already consumed alcohol prematurely, with minimaldifference between male and female gender. Several of these adolescents continue consuming too much and too often, influenced by friends, family and media. It can be concluded that it is imperative to insert educational methodological proposals at schools which should instruct about premature and indiscriminate alcohol consumption, addressing principally risk factors and possible biopsychosocial complications

  10. Neighborhood alcohol outlet density and rates of child abuse and neglect: moderating effects of access to substance abuse services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morton, Cory M; Simmel, Cassandra; Peterson, N Andrew

    2014-05-01

    This study investigates the relationship between concentrations of on- and off-premises alcohol outlets and rates of child abuse and neglect. Additionally, the study seeks to locate protective features of a neighborhood's built environment by investigating the potentially moderating role that access to substance abuse treatment and prevention services plays in the relationship between alcohol outlet density and child maltreatment. Using a cross-sectional design, this ecological study utilized data from 163 census tracts in Bergen County, New Jersey, on reports of child abuse and neglect, alcohol outlets, substance abuse treatment and prevention facilities, and the United States Census to investigate the linkages between socioeconomic structure, alcohol availability, and access to substance abuse service facilities on rates of child abuse and neglect. Findings indicate areas with a greater concentration of on-premises alcohol outlets (i.e., bars) had higher rates of child neglect, and those with easier access to substance abuse services had lower rates of neglect, controlling for neighborhood demographic and socioeconomic structure. Additionally, the relationship between on-premises alcohol outlet density and rates of child neglect was moderated by the presence of substance abuse service facilities. A greater concentration of off-premises outlets (i.e., liquor stores) was associated with lower rates of physical abuse. Findings suggest that the built environment and socioeconomic structure of neighborhoods have important consequences for child well-being. The implications for future research on the structural features of neighborhoods that are associated with child well-being are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Uso de substâncias psicoativas e métodos contraceptivos pela população urbana brasileira, 2005 Use of psychoactive substances and contraceptive methods by the Brazilian urban population, 2005

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    Francisco I Bastos

    2008-06-01

    in large urban regions of Brazil in 2005. The data were collected by means of questionnaires. The chi-square automatic interaction classification tree technique was used to study the use of condoms among interviewees of both sexes and other contraceptive methods among women, at the time of the last vaginal sexual intercourse. RESULTS: Among young and middle-aged adults of both sexes and young men in stable relationships, condom use was less frequent among those who said they used psychoactive substances (alcohol and/or illegal drugs. The possible modulating effect of psychoactive substances on contraceptive practices among mature women seems to be more straightforward, compared to the more subtle effects observed among younger women, for whom the different social classes they belonged to seemed to play a more important role. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the limitations resulting from an exploratory study, the fact that this was a representative sample of the urban population of Brazil and not from vulnerable populations, reinforces the need to implement integrated public policies directed towards the general population, with regard to preventing drug consumption, alcohol abuse, sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancy and promoting sexual and reproductive health.

  12. Alcohol and drug abuse among U.S. veterans: comparing associations with intimate partner substance abuse and veteran psychopathology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Mark W; Reardon, Annemarie F; Wolf, Erika J; Prince, Lauren B; Hein, Christina L

    2013-02-01

    This study examined the relative influences of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other psychopathology, and intimate partner alcohol and drug use on substance-related problems in U.S. veterans (242 couples, N = 484). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that partner alcohol and drug use severity explained more variance in veteran alcohol use and drug use (20% and 13%, respectively) than did veteran PTSD, adult antisocial behavior, or depression symptoms combined (6% for veteran alcohol use; 7% for veteran drug use). Findings shed new light on the influence of relationship factors on veteran alcohol and drug use and underscore the importance of couples-oriented approaches to treating veterans with comorbid PTSD and substance abuse. Published 2013. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  13. [Severe rhabdomyolysis syndrome in the course of alcohol withdrawal syndrome and hyponatremia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majewska, Magdalena; Tchórz, Michał; Szponar, Jarosław; Radoniewicz-Chagowska, Anna; Kołodziej, Małgorzata

    2012-01-01

    Rhabdomyolysis and associated kidney failure is a medical problem, often faced by doctors working in the centers of toxicology. Its most common cause is mechanical damage to the muscles, but predisposing factors include a big group of other pathologies and clinical conditions, including: electrolyte imbalance, immobility, infections, drug or psychoactive substances poisoning. The article presents an example of a patient with severe rhabdomyolysis syndrome caused by an alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Based on our experience and scientific studies of other clinical centres the paper presents various causes of muscle damage, including the iatrogenic effects of ethanol intoxication treatment. The article explains the importance of a proper and quick treatment which prevents damage of internal organs, including kidney failure.

  14. Traumatic brain injury and alcohol/substance abuse: A Bayesian meta-analysis comparing the outcomes of people with and without a history of abuse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Unsworth, David J; Mathias, Jane L

    2017-08-01

    Alcohol and substance (drugs and/or alcohol) abuse are major risk factors for traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, it remains unclear whether outcomes differ for those with and without a history of preinjury abuse. A meta-analysis was performed to examine this issue. The PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO databases were searched for research that compared the neuroradiological, cognitive, or psychological outcomes of adults with and without a documented history of alcohol and/or substance abuse who sustained nonpenetrating TBIs. Data from 22 studies were analyzed using a random-effects model: Hedges's g effect sizes measured the mean difference in outcomes of individuals with/without a history of preinjury abuse, and Bayes factors assessed the probability that the outcomes differed. Patients with a history of alcohol and/or substance abuse had poorer neuroradiological outcomes, including reduced hippocampal (g = -0.82) and gray matter volumes (g = -0.46 to -0.82), and enlarged cerebral ventricles (g = -0.73 to -0.80). There were limited differences in cognitive outcomes: Executive functioning (g = -0.51) and memory (g = -0.39 to -0.43) were moderately affected, but attention and reasoning were not. The findings for fine motor ability, construction, perception, general cognition, and language were inconclusive. Postinjury substance and alcohol use (g = -0.97 to -1.07) and emotional functioning (g = -0.29 to -0.44) were worse in those with a history of alcohol and/or substance abuse (psychological outcomes). This study highlighted the type and extent of post-TBI differences between persons with and without a history of alcohol or substance abuse, many of which may hamper recovery. However, variation in the criteria for premorbid abuse, limited information regarding the history of abuse, and an absence of preinjury baseline data prevented an assessment of whether the differences predated the TBI, occurred as a result of ongoing alcohol/substance abuse, or

  15. The Moderating Effect of Substance Abuse Service Accessibility on the Relationship between Child Maltreatment and Neighborhood Alcohol Availability

    OpenAIRE

    Morton, Cory M.

    2013-01-01

    This study investigates how the relationship between dense concentrations of alcohol retailers and high rates of child maltreatment may be moderated by the presence of substance abuse service facilities. Using a cross-sectional design, the study utilized data from Bergen County, New Jersey on child maltreatment reports, alcohol-selling retailers, substance abuse service facilities, and the United States Census. Findings indicate child maltreatment rates were higher in neighborhoods with lower...

  16. Czynniki ryzyka majaczenia alkoholowego u osób leczonych stacjonarnie w Polsce z powodu uzależnienia od alkoholu

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aneta Michalska

    2016-06-01

    Conclusions: Previous episodes of alcohol withdrawal syndrome are the risk factors of delirium tremens attributable to the severity of alcohol dependence. In our opinion, the other risk factors, such as loss of consciousness, suicide attempts in the past and harmful use of other psychoactive substances, are nonspecific to alcohol dependence.

  17. Mortality related to novel psychoactive substances in Scotland, 2012: an exploratory study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McAuley, Andrew; Hecht, Garry; Barnsdale, Lee; Thomson, Catherine S; Graham, Lesley; Priyadarshi, Saket; Robertson, J Roy

    2015-05-01

    The growth of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) over the last decade, both in terms of availability and consumption, is of increasing public health concern. Despite recent increases in related mortality, the circumstances surrounding and characteristics of individuals involved in NPS deaths at a population level remain relatively unknown. The Scottish National Drug Related Death Database (NDRDD) collects a wide-range of data relating to the nature and circumstances of individuals who have died a drug-related death (DRD). We conducted exploratory descriptive analysis of DRDs involving NPS recorded by the NDRDD in 2012. Statistical testing of differences between sub-groups was also conducted where appropriate. In 2012, we found 36 DRDs in Scotland to have NPS recorded within post-mortem toxicology. However, in only 23 of these cases were NPS deemed by the reporting pathologist to be implicated in the actual cause of death. The majority of NPS-implicated DRDs involved Benzodiazepine-type drugs (13), mainly Phenazepam (12). The remaining 10 NPS-implicated deaths featured a range of different Stimulant-type drugs. The majority of these NPS-implicated deaths involved males and consumption of more than one drug was recorded by toxicology in all except one case. NPS-implicated deaths involving Benzodiazepine-type NPS drugs appeared to involve older individuals known to be using drugs for a considerable period of time, many of whom had been in prison at some point in their lives. They also typically involved combinations of opioids and benzodiazepines; no stimulant drugs were co-implicated. Deaths where stimulant-type NPS drugs were implicated appeared to be a younger group in comparison, all consuming two or more Stimulant-type drugs in combination. This exploratory study provides an important insight into the circumstances surrounding and characteristics of individuals involved in NPS deaths at a population level. It identifies important issues for policy and practice

  18. Correlation between perception of quality of life and social/demographic/medical variables as well as anti-health behaviours among alcohol-dependent individuals

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    Marta Makara-Studzińska

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The level of life quality of people with alcohol dependence is significantly influenced by socio-demographic factors such as: gender, marital status and having a family. Additionally promoting anti-health behaviors such as smoking or using psychoactive substances among those with alcohol dependence also reduces the quality of life in this population. Aim of the research: The purpose of this project was to determine the impact of selected psycho-social and medical factors on the quality of life in alcohol-dependent patients in relation to the duration of abstinence. Study data served to determine whether there is a correlation between the presence of selected psycho-social and medical factors and a patient’s subjective perception of his/her quality of life. Material and methods: The study involved alcohol-dependent patients undergoing treatment in the Residential Alcohol Addiction Therapy Department of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Lublin. In the first stage of the study, the severity of the alcohol problem was assessed with the MAST and CAGE tests and quality of life was assessed with the SF-36 questionnaire. An Original Socio-Demographic Questionnaire was also used. In the second stage of the study, the SF-36 scale was used to evaluate the quality of life. The Original Socio-Demographic Questionnaire was also used. Results : The socio-economic factors that had a statistically significant impact on the quality of life of the alcohol-dependent individuals comprised sex, marital status and having a family. Marital status was shown to be one of the most important family-related factors significantly influencing the quality of life. Having a family was not a factor associated with subjective improvement of the quality of life during abstinence for alcohol-dependent individuals. Awareness of socio-economic and medical factors influencing quality of life in individuals addicted to alcohol and gambling is an important

  19. Online test purchased new psychoactive substances in 5 different European countries: A snapshot study of chemical composition and price.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brunt, Tibor Markus; Atkinson, Amanda Marie; Nefau, Thomas; Martinez, Magali; Lahaie, Emmanuel; Malzcewski, Artur; Pazitny, Martin; Belackova, Vendula; Brandt, Simon D

    2017-06-01

    New psychoactive substances (NPS) are on offer worldwide online, in order to shed light on the purity and price of these substances in the European Union, a research collaboration was set up involving France, United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Poland. Per country, around 10 different NPS were test purchased from different webshops. Then, chemical analysis of NPS was done with according reference standards to identify and quantify the contents. In contrast to what is generally advertised on the webshops (>99%), purity varied considerably per test purchased NPS. Several NPS were mislabelled, some containing chemical analogues (e.g. 25B/C-NBOMe instead of 25I-NBOMe, pentedrone instead of 3,4-DMMC). But in some cases NPS differed substantially from what was advertised (e.g. pentedrone instead of AMT or 3-FMC instead of 5-MeO-DALT). Per gram, purity-adjusted prices of cathinones differed substantially between three countries of test purchase, with Poland being the least expensive. Synthetic cannabinoids were relatively the most expensive in the Czech Republic and least expensive in the UK. The current findings provides a snapshot of the price and chemical contents of NPS products purchased by different countries and in different webshops. There is a potential danger of mislabelling of NPS. The great variety in price and purity of the delivered products might be the result of the market dynamics of supply and demand and the role of law enforcement in different European countries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. High-throughput screening for new psychoactive substances (NPS) in whole blood by DLLME extraction and UHPLC-MS/MS analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Odoardi, Sara; Fisichella, Marco; Romolo, Francesco Saverio; Strano-Rossi, Sabina

    2015-09-01

    The increasing number of new psychoactive substances (NPS) present in the illicit market render their identification in biological fluids/tissues of great concern for clinical and forensic toxicology. Analytical methods able to detect the huge number of substances that can be used are sought, considering also that many NPS are not detected by the standard immunoassays generally used for routine drug screening. The aim of this work was to develop a method for the screening of different classes of NPS (a total of 78 analytes including cathinones, synthetic cannabinoids, phenethylamines, piperazines, ketamine and analogues, benzofurans, tryptamines) from blood samples. The simultaneous extraction of analytes was performed by Dispersive Liquid/Liquid Microextraction DLLME, a very rapid, cheap and efficient extraction technique that employs microliters amounts of organic solvents. Analyses were performed by a target Ultrahigh Performance Liquid Chromatography tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The method allowed the detection of the studied analytes with limits of detection (LODs) ranging from 0.2 to 2ng/mL. The proposed DLLME method can be used as an alternative to classical liquid/liquid or solid-phase extraction techniques due to its rapidity, necessity to use only microliters amounts of organic solvents, cheapness, and to its ability to extract simultaneously a huge number of analytes also from different chemical classes. The method was then applied to 60 authentic real samples from forensic cases, demonstrating its suitability for the screening of a wide number of NPS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Consumo de substâncias psicoativas por adolescentes escolares de Ribeirão Preto, SP (Brasil: II - Distribuição do consumo por classes sociais The intake of psychoactive substances by school-age adolescents in an urban area of Southeastern region of Brazil: II - Distribution of consumption by social levels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gilson M. Muza

    1997-04-01

    educational and housing levels in an attempt to identify individuals or groups in different social contexts. The present study investigates the distribution of consumpition of psychoactive substances according to social class in a sample of teenage pupils in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Southeastern Brazil. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A self-applicable questionnaire duly adapted and submitted to a reliability test was applied to a proportional sample of 1,025 teenagers enrolled in the 8th, 9th, 10th and 12th grades in public and private city schools. The questionnaires contained questions about the use of ten classes of psychoactive substances, demographic questions and validation information, as well as questions about the perception and intrinsic behavior related to drug consumption. The adaptation of a model that identifies 5 social class strata (business middle class, managerial middle class, lower middle class, proletariat and subproletariat on the basis of indicators that situate the individuals within the social relations of production, was used. RESULTS: The 3 middle class strata were more often represented, whereas the proletariat and subproletariat were less frequently represented in this teenage pupil population than in the population in general. There was no difference in alcohol or tobacco consumption according to social class, although prevalence tended to be higher at the two extremes of the social ladder. In contrast, the consumption of illegal substances was higher in the middle class and lower in the proletariat. CONCLUSION: Although the consumption of legal substances did not differ among social classes, the higher consumption of illegal substances by the wealthier teenagers was probably due to the higher cost of these products as compared those of alcohol and tobacco.

  2. Substance abuse in patients admitted voluntarily and involuntarily to acute psychiatric wards: a national cross-sectional study

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    Anne Opsal

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Substance abuse and mental disorder comorbidity is high among patients admitted to acute psychiatric wards. The aim of the study was to identify this co-occurrence as a reason for involuntary admission and if specific substance use-related diagnoses were associated with such admissions.Methods: The study was a part of a multicentre, cross-sectional national study carried out during 2005-2006 within a research network of acute mental health services. Seventy-five percent of Norwegian hospitals providing acute in-patient treatment participated. Substance use was measured using the Clinician Rating Scale and the ICD-10 diagnoses F10-19. Diagnostic assessments were performed by the clinicians during hospital stay.Results: Overall, 33.2% (n=1,187 of the total patient population (3,506 were abusing alcohol or drugs prior to admission according to the Clinician Rating Scale. No difference in the overall prevalence of substance abuserelated diagnoses between the two groups was found. Overall, 310 (26% of the admissions, 216 voluntarily and 94 involuntarily admitted patients received a double diagnosis. Frequent comorbid combinations among voluntarily admitted patients were; a combination of alcohol and either mood disorder (40% or multiple mental disorders (29%. Among involuntarily admitted patients, a combination of poly drug use and schizophrenia was most frequent (47%. Substance abusing patients diagnosed with mental and behavioral disorders due to the use of psychoactive stimulant substances had a significantly higher risk of involuntary hospitalization (OR 2.3.Conclusion: Nearly one third of substance abusing patients are involuntarily admitted to mental hospitals, in particular stimulant drug use was associated with involuntarily admissions.

  3. Control substances and alcohol use and testing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Przybylski, J.L.

    1994-07-01

    The Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act was signed into law in October of 1991. The Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991 required the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) to enact regulations requiring the testing of employees that perform ``safety sensitive functions`` for illegal controlled substance use and alcohol misuse. The Transportation Management Division, Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (TMD/EM-261), United States Department of Energy (DOE), Training Program Manager is committed to promoting the availability of the necessary information to those affected members of the Department of Energy (DOE) community in an effort to attain the highest possible level of regulatory compliance and to enhance the safety of each individual in the workplace.

  4. Differences between men and women in substance use: the role of educational level and employment status

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    Ester Teixidó-Compañó

    2018-01-01

    Conclusions: There are differences between men and women in the use of psychoactive substances that can be explained by the unequal distribution of substance use in them according to educational level. Unemployment was associated with substance use in both men and women.

  5. Pilot Evaluation Study of the Life Skills Program REBOUND

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Henrik Jungaberle

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The main aim of the study is pilot evaluation of the life skills program REBOUND in a school context focusing on substance use, risk perception, and knowledge about psychoactive substances ( n IG + CG = 723 students in five schools and 46 classes, Mage = 14.8, range 14-18 for the total sample and in the subgroups gender, age, and school type. Main goal of the study is collecting evidence for program optimization. A controlled study was carried out with repeated measurement before and after the intervention (4-6 months. Multilevel analyses, ANCOVA, and logistic regression analyses were applied to measure the effects. Overall, significantly lower incidence rates of drunkenness (odds ratio [OR] = .55; p = .033, improved knowledge about psychoactive substances (p = .006, lower personal (p = .013 and general tobacco risk perception among users (p = .002, and lower general tobacco (p = .018 and cannabis (p = .000 risk perception in non-users were found in the total intervention group. In subgroups, significantly lower rates for the incidence of drunkenness can be shown for males (p = .008 and for younger participants (p = .004. Students at academic high school (German Gymnasium showed a decrease in 30-day prevalence for alcohol (p = .017 and cannabis (p = .014, and they improved in their knowledge about psychoactive substances (p = .000. In vocational high school classes (German Realschule, there was an increase in the relative alcohol risk perception of the students (p = .019. REBOUND contributes to a controlled use of alcohol and increases knowledge about psychoactive substances. REBOUND has various effects on the examined subgroups age, gender, and school type: Males, younger students, and students in academic high school benefitted more from the course regarding consumption-related criteria. We suggest a program optimization specific to school form and age, inclusion of a tobacco intervention, and the use of more gender-segregated interventions.

  6. Gender and race/ethnic differences in the persistence of alcohol, drug, and poly-substance use disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Elizabeth A; Grella, Christine E; Washington, Donna L; Upchurch, Dawn M

    2017-05-01

    To examine gender and racial/ethnic differences in the effect of substance use disorder (SUD) type on SUD persistence. Data were provided by 1025 women and 1835 men from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) to examine whether gender and race/ethnicity (Non-Hispanic White, Black, Hispanic) moderate the effects of DSM-IV defined past-12 month SUD type (alcohol, drug, poly-substance) on SUD persistence at 3-year follow-up, controlling for covariates. Using gender-stratified weighted binary logistic regression, we examined predictors of SUD persistence, tested an SUD type by race/ethnicity interaction term, and calculated and conducted Bonferroni corrected pairwise comparisons of predicted probabilities. SUD persistence rates at 3-year follow-up differed for SUD type by gender by race/ethnicity sub-group, and ranged from 31% to 81%. SUD persistence rates were consistently higher among poly-substance users; patterns were mixed in relation to gender and race/ethnicity. Among women, alcohol disordered Hispanics were less likely to persist than Whites. Among men, drug disordered Hispanics were less likely to persist than Whites. Also, Black men with an alcohol or drug use disorder were less likely to persist than Whites, but Black men with a poly-substance use disorder were more likely to persist than Hispanics. The effect of SUD type on SUD persistence varies by race/ethnicity, and the nature of these relationships is different by gender. Such knowledge could inform tailoring of SUD screening and treatment programs, potentially increasing their impact. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. Performance of the Tobacco, Alcohol, Prescription Medication, and Other Substance Use (TAPS) Tool for Substance Use Screening in Primary Care Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNeely, Jennifer; Wu, Li-Tzy; Subramaniam, Geetha; Sharma, Gaurav; Cathers, Lauretta A; Svikis, Dace; Sleiter, Luke; Russell, Linnea; Nordeck, Courtney; Sharma, Anjalee; O'Grady, Kevin E; Bouk, Leah B; Cushing, Carol; King, Jacqueline; Wahle, Aimee; Schwartz, Robert P

    2016-11-15

    Substance use, a leading cause of illness and death, is underidentified in medical practice. The Tobacco, Alcohol, Prescription medication, and other Substance use (TAPS) tool was developed to address the need for a brief screening and assessment instrument that includes all commonly used substances and fits into clinical workflows. The goal of this study was to assess the performance of the TAPS tool in primary care patients. Multisite study, conducted within the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network, comparing the TAPS tool with a reference standard measure. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02110693). 5 adult primary care clinics. 2000 adult patients consecutively recruited from clinic waiting areas. Interviewer- and self-administered versions of the TAPS tool were compared with a reference standard, the modified World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), which measures problem use and substance use disorder (SUD). Interviewer- and self-administered versions of the TAPS tool had similar diagnostic characteristics. For identifying problem use (at a cutoff of 1+), the TAPS tool had a sensitivity of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.90 to 0.95) and specificity of 0.87 (CI, 0.85 to 0.89) for tobacco and a sensitivity of 0.74 (CI, 0.70 to 0.78) and specificity of 0.79 (CI, 0.76 to 0.81) for alcohol. For problem use of illicit and prescription drugs, sensitivity ranged from 0.82 (CI, 0.76 to 0.87) for marijuana to 0.63 (CI, 0.47 to 0.78) for sedatives; specificity was 0.93 or higher. For identifying any SUD (at a cutoff of 2+), sensitivity was lower. The low prevalence of some drug classes led to poor precision in some estimates. Research assistants were not blinded to participants' TAPS tool responses when they administered the CIDI. In a diverse population of adult primary care patients, the TAPS tool detected clinically relevant problem substance use. Although it also may detect tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use disorders, further refinement is

  8. Six rapid assessments of alcohol and other substance use in populations displaced by conflict

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    Adelekan Moruf

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Substance use among populations displaced by conflict is a neglected area of public health. Alcohol, khat, benzodiazepine, opiate, and other substance use have been documented among a range of displaced populations, with wide-reaching health and social impacts. Changing agendas in humanitarian response-including increased prominence of mental health and chronic illness-have so far failed to be translated into meaningful interventions for substance use. Methods Studies were conducted from 2006 to 2008 in six different settings of protracted displacement, three in Africa (Kenya, Liberia, northern Uganda and three in Asia (Iran, Pakistan, and Thailand. We used intervention-oriented qualitative Rapid Assessment and Response methods, adapted from two decades of experience among non-displaced populations. The main sources of data were individual and group interviews conducted with a culturally representative (non-probabilistic sample of community members and service providers. Results Widespread use of alcohol, particularly artisanally-produced alcohol, in Kenya, Liberia, Uganda, and Thailand, and opiates in Iran and Pakistan was believed by participants to be linked to a range of health, social and protection problems, including illness, injury (intentional and unintentional, gender-based violence, risky behaviour for HIV and other sexually transmitted infection and blood-borne virus transmission, as well as detrimental effects to household economy. Displacement experiences, including dispossession, livelihood restriction, hopelessness and uncertain future may make communities particularly vulnerable to substance use and its impact, and changing social norms and networks (including the surrounding population may result in changed - and potentially more harmful-patterns of use. Limited access to services, including health services, and exclusion from relevant host population programmes, may exacerbate the harmful consequences

  9. Demographic and Substance Use Factors Associated with Non-Violent Alcohol-Related Injuries among Patrons of Australian Night-Time Entertainment Districts

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    Kerri Coomber

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This study examined the relationship between patron demographics, substance use, and experience of recent alcohol-related accidents and injuries that were not due to interpersonal violence in night-time entertainment districts. Cross-sectional interviews (n = 4016 were conducted around licensed venues in entertainment districts of five Australian cities. Demographic factors associated with non-violent alcohol-related injuries were examined, including gender, age, and occupation. The association between substance use on the night of interview; blood alcohol concentration (BAC, pre-drinking, energy drink consumption, and illicit drug use; and experience of injury was also explored. Thirteen percent of participants reported an alcohol-related injury within the past three months. Respondents aged younger than 25 years were significantly more likely to report an alcohol-related injury. Further, a significant occupation effect was found indicating the rate of alcohol-related injury was lower in managers/professionals compared to non-office workers. The likelihood of prior alcohol-related injury significantly increased with BAC, and self-reported pre-drinking, energy drink, or illicit drug consumption on the night of interview. These findings provide an indication of the demographic and substance use-related associations with alcohol-related injuries and, therefore, potential avenues of population-level policy intervention. Policy responses to alcohol-related harm must also account for an assessment and costing of non-violent injuries.

  10. Demographic and Substance Use Factors Associated with Non-Violent Alcohol-Related Injuries among Patrons of Australian Night-Time Entertainment Districts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coomber, Kerri; Mayshak, Richelle; Hyder, Shannon; Droste, Nicolas; Curtis, Ashlee; Pennay, Amy; Gilmore, William; Lam, Tina; Chikritzhs, Tanya; Miller, Peter G

    2017-01-12

    This study examined the relationship between patron demographics, substance use, and experience of recent alcohol-related accidents and injuries that were not due to interpersonal violence in night-time entertainment districts. Cross-sectional interviews ( n = 4016) were conducted around licensed venues in entertainment districts of five Australian cities. Demographic factors associated with non-violent alcohol-related injuries were examined, including gender, age, and occupation. The association between substance use on the night of interview; blood alcohol concentration (BAC), pre-drinking, energy drink consumption, and illicit drug use; and experience of injury was also explored. Thirteen percent of participants reported an alcohol-related injury within the past three months. Respondents aged younger than 25 years were significantly more likely to report an alcohol-related injury. Further, a significant occupation effect was found indicating the rate of alcohol-related injury was lower in managers/professionals compared to non-office workers. The likelihood of prior alcohol-related injury significantly increased with BAC, and self-reported pre-drinking, energy drink, or illicit drug consumption on the night of interview. These findings provide an indication of the demographic and substance use-related associations with alcohol-related injuries and, therefore, potential avenues of population-level policy intervention. Policy responses to alcohol-related harm must also account for an assessment and costing of non-violent injuries.

  11. Is law enforcement of drug-impaired driving cost-efficient? : an explorative study of a methodology for cost-benefit analysis.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Veisten, K. Houwing, S. Mathijssen, M.P.M. & Akhtar, J.

    2013-01-01

    Road users driving under the influence of psychoactive substances may be at much higher relative risk (RR) in road traffic than the average driver. Legislation banning blood alcohol concentrations above certain threshold levels combined with roadside breath-testing of alcohol have been in lieu for

  12. Is law enforcement of drug-impaired driving cost-efficient? : an explorative study of a methodology for cost-benefit analysis.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Veisten, K. Houwing, S. Mathijssen, M.P.M. & Akhtar, J.

    2012-01-01

    Road users driving under the influence of psychoactive substances may be at much higher relative risk (RR) in road traffic than the average driver. Legislation banning blood alcohol concentrations above certain threshold levels combined with roadside breath-testing of alcohol have been in lieu for

  13. Craving and substance use among patients with alcohol, tobacco, cannabis or heroin addiction: a comparison of substance- and person-specific cues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fatseas, Melina; Serre, Fuschia; Alexandre, Jean-Marc; Debrabant, Romain; Auriacombe, Marc; Swendsen, Joel

    2015-06-01

    It is well established that craving increases following exposure to substance-related 'cues', but the role of life-styles or substance use habits that are unique to each person remains poorly understood. This study examines the association of substance-specific and personal cues with craving and substance use in daily life. Ecological momentary assessment was used during a 2-week period. Data were collected in a French out-patient addiction treatment centre. A total of 132 out-patients beginning treatment for alcohol, tobacco, cannabis or opiate addiction were included. Using mobile technologies, participants were questioned four times per day relative to craving, substance use and exposure to either substance-specific cues (e.g. seeing a syringe) or personal cues unique to that individual (e.g. seeing the specific person with whom the substance is used). Craving intensity was associated with the number of concurrently assessed substance-specific cues (t = 4.418, P addictive substances, and the duration of this association may persist longer than for more general substance-specific cues. Mobile technologies provide new opportunities for understanding these person-specific risk factors and for providing individually tailored interventions. © 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction.

  14. "Spice," "kryptonite," "black mamba": an overview of brand names and marketing strategies of novel psychoactive substances on the web.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corazza, Ornella; Valeriani, Giuseppe; Bersani, Francesco Saverio; Corkery, John; Martinotti, Giovanni; Bersani, Giuseppe; Schifano, Fabrizio

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Introduction: Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPSs) are often sold online as "legal" and "safer" alternatives to International Controlled Drugs (ICDs) with captivating marketing strategies. Our aim was to review and summarize such strategies in terms of the appearance of the products, the brand names, and the latest trends in the illicit online marketplaces. Scientific data were searched in PsychInfo and Pubmed databases; results were integrated with an extensive monitoring of Internet (websites, online shops, chat rooms, fora, social networks) and media sources in nine languages (English, French, Farsi, Portuguese, Arabic, Russian, Spanish, and Chinese simplified/traditional) available from secure databases of the Global Public Health Intelligence Network. Evolving strategies for the online diffusion and the retail of NPSs have been identified, including discounts and periodic offers on chosen products. Advertisements and new brand names have been designed to attract customers, especially young people. An increased number of retailers have been recorded as well as new Web platforms and privacy systems. NPSs represent an unprecedented challenge in the field of public health with social, cultural, legal, and political implications. Web monitoring activities are essential for mapping the diffusion of NPSs and for supporting innovative Web-based prevention programmes.

  15. Abuse of Prescription Drugs in the Context of Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS): A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schifano, Fabrizio; Chiappini, Stefania; Corkery, John M; Guirguis, Amira

    2018-04-22

    Recently, a range of prescription and over-the-counter drugs have been reportedly used as Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS), due to their potential for abuse resulting from their high dosage/idiosyncratic methods of self-administration. This paper provides a systematic review of the topic, focusing on a range of medications which have emerged as being used recreationally, either on their own or in combination with NPS. Among gabapentinoids, pregabalin may present with higher addictive liability levels than gabapentin, with pregabalin being mostly identified in the context of opioid, polydrug intake. For antidepressants, their dopaminergic, stimulant-like, bupropion activities may explain their recreational value and diversion from the therapeutic intended use. In some vulnerable clients, a high dosage of venlafaxine (‘baby ecstasy’) is ingested for recreational purposes, whilst the occurrence of a clinically-relevant withdrawal syndrome may be a significant issue for all venlafaxine-treated patients. Considering second generation antipsychotics, olanzapine appears to be ingested at very large dosages as an ‘ideal trip terminator’, whilst the immediate-release quetiapine formulation may possess proper abuse liability levels. Within the image- and performance- enhancing drugs (IPEDs) group, the beta-2 agonist clenbuterol (‘size zero pill’) is reported to be self-administered for aggressive slimming purposes. Finally, high/very high dosage ingestion of the antidiarrhoeal loperamide has shown recent increasing levels of popularity due to its central recreational, anti-withdrawal, opiatergic effects. The emerging abuse of prescription drugs within the context of a rapidly modifying drug scenario represents a challenge for psychiatry, public health and drug-control policies.

  16. Identification of a new psychoactive substance in seized material: the synthetic opioid N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenethyl)piperidin-4-yl]prop-2-enamide (Acrylfentanyl)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Breindahl, Torben; Kimergård, Andreas; Andreasen, Mette Findal

    2017-01-01

    Among the new psychoactive substances (NPS) that have recently emerged on the market, many of the new synthetic opioids have shown to be particularly harmful. A new synthetic analogue of fentanyl, N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenethyl)piperidin-4-yl]prop-2-enamide (acrylfentanyl), was identified in powder...... from a seized capsule found at a forensic psychiatric ward in Denmark. Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified a precursor to synthetic fentanyls, N-phenyl-1-(2-phenylethyl)piperidin-4-amine; however, the precursor 1-(2-phenethyl)piperidin-4-one, was not detected. Analysis...... of the electron impact mass spectrum of the main, unknown chromatographic peak (GC) tentatively identified an acryloyl analogue of fentanyl. Further analyses by quadrupole time-of-flight high resolution mass spectrometry (QTOF-MS), matrix-assisted laser ionization Orbitrap mass spectrometry (MALDI...

  17. The (co-)occurrence of problematic video gaming, substance use, and psychosocial problems in adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    VAN Rooij, Antonius J; Kuss, Daria J; Griffiths, Mark D; Shorter, Gillian W; Schoenmakers, M Tim; VAN DE Mheen, Dike

    2014-09-01

    The current study explored the nature of problematic (addictive) video gaming (PVG) and the association with game type, psychosocial health, and substance use. Data were collected using a paper and pencil survey in the classroom setting. Three samples were aggregated to achieve a total sample of 8478 unique adolescents. Scales included measures of game use, game type, the Video game Addiction Test (VAT), depressive mood, negative self-esteem, loneliness, social anxiety, education performance, and use of cannabis, alcohol and nicotine (smoking). Findings confirmed problematic gaming is most common amongst adolescent gamers who play multiplayer online games. Boys (60%) were more likely to play online games than girls (14%) and problematic gamers were more likely to be boys (5%) than girls (1%). High problematic gamers showed higher scores on depressive mood, loneliness, social anxiety, negative self-esteem, and self-reported lower school performance. Nicotine, alcohol, and cannabis using boys were almost twice more likely to report high PVG than non-users. It appears that online gaming in general is not necessarily associated with problems. However, problematic gamers do seem to play online games more often, and a small subgroup of gamers - specifically boys - showed lower psychosocial functioning and lower grades. Moreover, associations with alcohol, nicotine, and cannabis use are found. It would appear that problematic gaming is an undesirable problem for a small subgroup of gamers. The findings encourage further exploration of the role of psychoactive substance use in problematic gaming.

  18. Relationship between alcohol consumption, whether linked to other substance use or not, and antiretroviral treatment adherence in HIV+ patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Álvarez, Sara; Madoz-Gúrpide, Agustín; Parro-Torres, Carlos; Hernández-Huerta, Daniel; Ochoa Mangado, Enriqueta

    2017-07-14

    Hazardous alcohol consumption is a common diagnosis among people living with HIV infection. The relationship between alcohol consumption and poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy has been highlighted in different studies, yet few of them performed a parallel analysis of other substance use. In Spain, alcohol consumption is frequently associated with other substance use, mainly cannabis and cocaine. The aim of this study is to assess the influence of hazardous alcohol consumption both combined with other substances (cocaine, heroin, methadone and/or cannabis) or alone on antiretroviral therapy adherence in our social environment. We performed an observational case-control study including 119 HIV+ individuals. We recruited 40 non-adherent patients, defined by less than 90% compliance according to hospital pharmacy refill data, and corroborated by the Simplified Medication Adherence Questionnaire (SMAQ) and referring professional's opinion. Control cases (n=79) were defined as those patients with similar characteristics but considered adherent according to the same parameters. Data collection took place between May 2013 and September 2015. Statistical analysis was performed using a binary logistic regression model. Our results indicate that alcohol consumption decreases adherence to antiretroviral therapy. The use of methadone represents a statistically significant increased risk of poor adherence. No significant differences were found between adherent and non-adherent groups regarding cocaine, heroin or cannabis use in this study. In summary, the detection of substance use and especially alcohol consumption in HIV+ patients can improve the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy by identifying and treating at-risk individuals for a poor therapeutic adherence.

  19. The prevalence of novel psychoactive substances (NPS use in non-clinical populations: a systematic review protocol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salma M. Khaled

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Novel psychoactive substances (NPS are new narcotic or psychotropic drugs that are not controlled by the United Nations drug convention that may pose a serious public health threat due to their wide availability for purchase on the internet and in so called “head shops.” Yet, the extent of their global use remains largely unknown. The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review of the prevalence of NPS use in non-clinical populations. Methods This is a systematic review of observational studies. Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Lilacs, Scopus, Global Health, PsychINFO, Web of Science, and the World Health Organization (WHO regional databases will be searched for eligible prevalence studies published between 2010 and 2016. Data from cross-sectional studies that report the prevalence of NPS use (one or more types in participants (of any age from censuses or probabilistic or convenience samples will be included. Data will be extracted from eligible publications, using a data extraction tool developed for this study. Visual and statistical approaches will be adopted instead of traditional meta-analytic approaches. Discussion This review will describe the distributions of various types of prevalence estimates of NPS use and explore the impact of different population groups and study-related and tempo-geographical variables on characteristics of these distributions over the period of 2010 to 2016. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42016037020

  20. Patterns of substance use in South Africa: Results from the South ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Results. The estimate for cumulative occurrence of alcohol use was 38.7%, of tobacco smoking 30.0%, of cannabis use 8.4%, of other drug use 2.0%, and of extra-medical psychoactive drug use 19.3%. There were statistically significant associations between male gender and alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and other drug use.

  1. Perceived Physical Attractiveness and Frequency of Substance Use among Male and Female Adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Page, Randy M.

    1993-01-01

    Investigated relationship between perceived physical attractiveness and frequency of substance use among 1,297 adolescents. Female adolescents who rated themselves as unattractive were more likely to use illicit psychoactive substances than those who rated themselves as average or attractive. Perceived attractiveness did not contribute to…

  2. PTSD symptom presentation among people with alcohol and drug use disorders: Comparisons by substance of abuse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dworkin, Emily R; Wanklyn, Sonya; Stasiewicz, Paul R; Coffey, Scott F

    2018-01-01

    Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders (SUDs) commonly co-occur, and there is some evidence to suggest that PTSD symptom clusters are differentially related to various substances of abuse. However, few studies to date have compared PTSD symptom patterns across people with different types of SUDs, and fewer still have accounted for the presence of comorbidity across types of SUDs in understanding symptom patterns. Thus, in the current study, we use a treatment-seeking sample of people with elevated symptoms of PTSD and problem alcohol use to explore differential associations between past-year SUDs with active use and PTSD symptoms, while accounting for the presence of multiple SUDs. When comparing alcohol and drug use disorders, avoidance symptoms were elevated in those with alcohol use disorder, and hyperarousal symptoms were elevated in those who had a drug use disorder. In the subsample with alcohol use disorder, hyperarousal symptoms were elevated in people with co-occurring cocaine use disorders and numbing symptoms were elevated in people with co-occurring sedative/hypnotic/anxiolytic use disorder. These findings provide evidence for different symptom cluster patterns between PTSD and various types of SUDs and highlight the importance of examining the functional relationship between specific substances of abuse when understanding the interplay between PTSD and SUDs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. A family history of alcoholism relates to alexithymia in substance use disorder patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Haan, Hein A.; Joosten, Evelien A.G.; de Haan, Lydia; Schellekens, Arnt F.A.; Buitelaar, Jan K.; van der Palen, Jacobus Adrianus Maria; de Jong, Cor A.J.

    2013-01-01

    Objectives Previous research identified alexithymia as a potential risk factor for substance use disorders (SUD). More insight into the relation between alexithymia and SUD is needed in order to treat SUD effectively. Therefore, we investigated whether a familial vulnerability to alcoholism relates

  4. What are the Patterns Between Depression, Smoking, Unhealthy Alcohol Use, and Other Substance Use Among Individuals Receiving Medical Care? A Longitudinal Study of 5479 Participants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruggles, Kelly V; Fang, Yixin; Tate, Janet; Mentor, Sherry M; Bryant, Kendall J; Fiellin, David A; Justice, Amy C; Braithwaite, R Scott

    2017-07-01

    To evaluate and characterize the structure of temporal patterns of depression, smoking, unhealthy alcohol use, and other substance use among individuals receiving medical care, and to inform discussion about whether integrated screening and treatment strategies for these conditions are warranted. Using the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) we measured depression, smoking, unhealthy alcohol use and other substance use (stimulants, marijuana, heroin, opioids) and evaluated which conditions tended to co-occur within individuals, and how this co-occurrence was temporally structured (i.e. concurrently, sequentially, or discordantly). Current depression was associated with current use of every substance examined with the exception of unhealthy alcohol use. Current unhealthy alcohol use and marijuana use were also consistently associated. Current status was strongly predicted by prior status (p depression in the HIV infected subgroup only (p depression, smoking, unhealthy alcohol use, and other substance use were temporally concordant, particularly with regard to depression and substance use. These patterns may inform future development of more integrated screening and treatment strategies.

  5. Onset of Alcohol or Substance Use Disorders Following Treatment for Adolescent Depression

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curry, John; Silva, Susan; Rohde, Paul; Ginsburg, Golda; Kennard, Betsy; Kratochvil, Christopher; Simons, Anne; Kirchner, Jerry; May, Diane; Mayes, Taryn; Feeny, Norah; Albano, Anne Marie; Lavanier, Sarah; Reinecke, Mark; Jacobs, Rachel; Becker-Weidman, Emily; Weller, Elizabeth; Emslie, Graham; Walkup, John; Kastelic, Elizabeth; Burns, Barbara; Wells, Karen; March, John

    2012-01-01

    Objective: This study tested whether positive response to short-term treatment for adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD) would have the secondary benefit of preventing subsequent alcohol use disorders (AUD) or substance use disorders (SUD). Method: For 5 years, we followed 192 adolescents (56.2% female; 20.8% minority) who had participated in…

  6. Eating Disorder Symptoms and Alcohol Use Among Adolescents in Substance Abuse Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Janelle E. Arias

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To examine the relationship of eating disorder (ED symptoms with the severity of alcohol use among adolescents in treatment for alcohol and other substance use disorders (AOSUDs. Method: A sample consisted of 177 adolescents who participated in outpatient AOSUD treatment programs in Connecticut. Chi square tests, one-way ANOVAs and Pearson’s correlation coefficients were used to describe the prevalence and correlates of any eating disorders, and the related symptoms. Multivariate regression was used to test the associations between ED symptoms and alcohol consumption. Results: 26.4% of the participants had at least one ED symptom, with the highest number of symptoms occurring in females. The number of ED symptoms was associated with increases in the number of times that they became intoxicated in the year before entering treatment, the number of alcohol-related social problems, and the number of alcohol-related physical symptoms after taking into consideration the effects of age and gender. Conclusions: The prevalence of symptoms of EDs is high in adolescents with AOSUDs, with the number of ED symptoms correlating with increased alcohol consumption. Further studies on the course and treatment of adolescents with AOSUDs and symptoms of EDs are warranted.

  7. The ethnobotany of psychoactive plant use: a phylogenetic perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nashmiah Aid Alrashedy

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Psychoactive plants contain chemicals that presumably evolved as allelochemicals but target certain neuronal receptors when consumed by humans, altering perception, emotion and cognition. These plants have been used since ancient times as medicines and in the context of religious rituals for their various psychoactive effects (e.g., as hallucinogens, stimulants, sedatives. The ubiquity of psychoactive plants in various cultures motivates investigation of the commonalities among these plants, in which a phylogenetic framework may be insightful. A phylogeny of culturally diverse psychoactive plant taxa was constructed with their psychotropic effects and affected neurotransmitter systems mapped on the phylogeny. The phylogenetic distribution shows multiple evolutionary origins of psychoactive families. The plant families Myristicaceae (e.g., nutmeg, Papaveraceae (opium poppy, Cactaceae (peyote, Convolvulaceae (morning glory, Solanaceae (tobacco, Lamiaceae (mints, Apocynaceae (dogbane have a disproportionate number of psychoactive genera with various indigenous groups using geographically disparate members of these plant families for the same psychoactive effect, an example of cultural convergence. Pharmacological traits related to hallucinogenic and sedative potential are phylogenetically conserved within families. Unrelated families that exert similar psychoactive effects also modulate similar neurotransmitter systems (i.e., mechanistic convergence. However, pharmacological mechanisms for stimulant effects were varied even within families suggesting that stimulant chemicals may be more evolutionarily labile than those associated with hallucinogenic and sedative effects. Chemically similar psychoactive chemicals may also exist in phylogenetically unrelated lineages, suggesting convergent evolution or differential gene regulation of a common metabolic pathway. Our study has shown that phylogenetic analysis of traditionally used psychoactive plants

  8. Lifetime prevalence of alcohol and substance use in Egypt: a community survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamdi, Emad; Gawad, Tarek; Khoweiled, Aref; Sidrak, Albert Edward; Amer, Dalal; Mamdouh, Rania; Fathi, Heba; Loza, Nasser

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of substance use and addiction in Egypt and study its sociodemographic correlates. A total of 44,000 subjects were interviewed from 8 governorates by stratified sampling. A questionnaire derived from the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) was individually administered. The lifetime prevalence of any substance use varies between 7.25% and 14.5%. One-month prevalence varies between 5.4% and 11.5% when adjusted to different population parameters. A total of 4832 subjects were identified as using illicit substances at least once in their life (9.6%), including 1329 experimental and social use (3.3%), 1860 regular use (4.64%), and 629 substance dependence (1.6%). The prevalence of substance use in males is 13.2% and 1.1% in females. Prevalence increases significantly in males of Bedouin origin, in seaside governorates, with lesser levels of education, and in certain occupations. The 15-19 age group showed the highest onset of substance use. Cannabis is the drug mostly misused in Egypt; alcohol is a distant second. The prevalence of substance use is lower than Western countries and higher compared with a 1996 survey. The true population prevalence is probably higher due to underreporting. The demographic pattern reflects availability and accessibility to drugs.

  9. Uso de substâncias psicoativas entre estudantes de odontologia da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo Psychoactive substance use among Espírito Santo Federal University odontology students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renata Frossard Teixeira

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho é traçar o perfil do uso de substâncias psicoativas entre os universitários do curso de odontologia do Centro de Ciências da Saúde da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório, descritivo, transversal e quantitativo, desenvolvido com universitários do primeiro ao último ano do curso de odontologia. O instrumento utilizado na coleta de dados é uma adaptação do proposto pela OMS e desenvolvido pela WHO - Research and Reporting Project on the Epidemiology of Drug Dependence. Os dados foram tabulados e analisados através do Programa Statistical Package for the Social Science. 60,3% dos universitários são do sexo feminino, 48,9% se encontram na faixa etária de 20 a 22 anos e 41,3% e 43,7% pertencem à classe social A e B, respectivamente. Quanto ao uso de substâncias psicoativas, 72,4% fizeram uso na vida de alguma substância, exceto álcool e tabaco; 25,9% fizeram uso de solventes, 13,2% uso de maconha, 10,9%, de anfetamínicos, 27%, de tabaco e 87,9%, de álcool. Faz-se necessário a prevenção do uso indevido de substâncias psicoativas entre universitários, através da abordagem dessa temática no currículo acadêmico e da criação de programas específicos para universitários.The objective of this article is to trace the psychoactive substance use profile among odontology college students from the Espírito Santo Federal University Health Sciences Center. It is an explorative, descriptive, transversal and quantitative study developed with first to last year college students of the odontology course. The instrument used for data collection was an adaptation of one proposed by WHO and developed by WHO - Research and Reporting Project on the Epidemiology of Drug Dependence. Data were listed and analyzed through the Statistical Package Program for the Social Science. The results showed that 60.3% colleges student are female, 48.9% age between 20 and 22 years, 41

  10. Review: LC coupled to low- and high-resolution mass spectrometry for new psychoactive substance screening in biological matrices - Where do we stand today?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Markus R; Maurer, Hans H

    2016-07-13

    The field of new psychoactive substances (NPS) is highly dynamic and the situation changes from year to year. Therefore, the current review provides a timely update about the latest developments to help analysts keep the pace with NPS distribution. It covers PubMed-listed studies published between January 2014 and January 2016 dealing with the application of liquid chromatography (LC) coupled low- and high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) for broad screenings for NPS in clinical (CT) and forensic (FT) toxicology. Latest developments and applications are highlighted and selected papers critically discussed. Comprehensive tables summarizing all discussed articles complete the overview. Finally, an outlook on the future of LC coupled MS in CT and FT is provided and readers will learn why low-resolution mass spectrometry might remain the standard for the next couple of years at least for easy-to-use quantitative screening procedures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. New psychoactive substances in oral fluid of French and Belgian drivers in 2016.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richeval, Camille; Wille, Sarah Maria Richarda; Nachon-Phanithavong, Mélodie; Samyn, Nele; Allorge, Delphine; Gaulier, Jean-Michel

    2018-04-06

    Driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) is a worldwide problem with potentially major judiciary and life-threatening consequences. Up to now, only classical drugs of abuse (DOA) are tested for DUID detection. A challenging issue for drafting up-dated international drug policies is to take into account the recent and expanding new psychoactive substances (NPS) market. NPS consist in various narcotic or psychotropic drugs, most of them having a "legal" status, that replicate chemical structures and/or pharmacological effects of classical DOA. Although it is obvious that NPS can lead to impaired driving, the prevalence of NPS use in a DUID context is unknown since the applied roadside screening tests are not yet adapted for these compounds. Between January and December 2016, a total of 391 oral fluid specimens were obtained from used roadside immunochemical test devices for DOA (Drugwipe-5S ® device). These specimens were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry and high resolution mass spectrometry. NPS (mainly cathinone derivatives) were detected in 33 out of the 391 oral fluid samples. This NPS positivity rate of 8.4% in oral fluid of drivers who were submitted to a roadside drug testing in 2016 in France and in Belgium is comparable to the available blood data (NPS positivity rate of 7%) observed in 2015 in similar populations. Our results demonstrate the reality of driving after NPS use in French and Belgian drivers who were submitted to a roadside DOA test. As there is a lack of on-site detection methods to screen for NPS, the detection of NPS in a rapid and cost-effective DUID detection strategy is currently impossible. The expanding use of NPS, notably by drivers as reported here, and the inability of currently used drug detection tests, should be urgently addressed by road safety and law enforcement authorities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. The challenge of complex drug use: Associated use of codeine-containing medicines and new psychoactive substances in a European cross-sectional online population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimergård, Andreas; Foley, Michelle; Davey, Zoe; Wadsworth, Elle; Drummond, Colin; Deluca, Paolo

    2017-05-01

    Misuse of codeine-containing medicines in combination with new psychoactive substances (NPS) is inadequately described. This study characterises codeine consumption amongst NPS users and non-NPS users to provide warning of health issues. Online survey conducted between July 2015 and March 2016. Out of 340 respondents, residing in a country in Europe and using codeine recently, 63.8% were female. Mean age: 34.9 years (SD = 12.4). Substance use included NPS (18.5%) and illicit controlled drugs (55.9%). Factors relating to codeine use found to significantly predict NPS use were consuming codeine extracted from combination tablets (OR = 16.79, 95% CI [8.67, 32.51]), obtaining codeine from friends, family, and acquaintances (OR = 3.98, 95% CI [1.82, 8.7]), use of illicit controlled drugs (OR = 34.99, 95% CI [8.39, 145.94]) and use of codeine to experience euphoria (OR = 6.41, 95% CI [3.42, 12.04]). Amongst NPS users, codeine is less likely to be used daily but more likely to be used for recreational purposes. Smaller populations engaging in high-risk use exist who take multiple drugs in high doses. Combinations of misused codeine and NPS highlight the need for policy to respond to a more complex drug situation. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. Psychoactive substances in seriously injured drivers in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Simonsen, Kirsten Wiese; Steentoft, Anni; Bernhoft, Inger Marie

    2013-01-01

    at levels above LOQ, whereas amphetamines (5.4%) (amphetamine [5.2%] and methamphet-amine [1.5%]), tetrahydrocannabinol (3.7%), and cocaine (3.3%), including the metabolite benzoylecgo-nine, were the most frequently detected illegal drugs. A driver could be positive for more than one substance; therefore...

  14. Drugs of abuse consumption in health professionals (physicians and nurses from two outpatient services of first level attention in Bogota

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lara-Hidalgo Catalina

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available We conducted a study to establish the prevalence of drugs of abuse consumption in physiciansand nurses in two health institutions in Bogota outpatient identify the frequency of consumption,to establish the prevalence of alcoholism using the CAGE questionnaire and explore the interestparticipate in prevention or reduction of consumption in the workplace. Materials and methods: Across-sectional study by applying an anonymous survey. Results: There were 58 questionnaires (38in physicians and 20 nurses. The substances most consumed in both groups were alcohol, cigarettesand energy drinks, followed on medical by marijuana in nursing followed by barbiturates, antidepressants,amphetamines and opiates. The prevalence of alcoholism was greater than 8% in bothgroups. 58% of physicians and 70% of nurses would participate in the design of occupational healthprograms to reduce the consumption of psychoactive substances. Conclusions: The use of drugs ofabuse is higher that found in the literature for most of the substances in the general population andis similar to the revised health personnel. It recommends the formulation and implementation ofcorporate policy within the framework of occupational health work of these institutions, aimed atreducing and preventing the consumption of psychoactive substances.

  15. The diverse reasons for using Novel Psychoactive Substances - A qualitative study of the users' own perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soussan, Christophe; Andersson, Martin; Kjellgren, Anette

    2018-02-01

    The increasing number of legally ambiguous and precarious Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) constitutes a challenge for policy makers and public health. Scientific and more in-depth knowledge about the motivations for using NPS is scarce and often consist of predetermined, non-systematic, or poorly described reasons deduced from top-down approaches. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore and characterize the users' self-reported reasons for NPS use inductively and more comprehensively. The self-reported reasons of a self-selected sample of 613 international NPS users were collected via an online survey promoted at the international drug discussion forum bluelight.org and later analyzed qualitatively using inductive thematic analysis. The analysis showed that the participants used NPS because these compounds reportedly: 1) enabled safer and more convenient drug use, 2) satisfied a curiosity and interest about the effects, 3) facilitated a novel and exciting adventure, 4) promoted self-exploration and personal growth, 5) functioned as coping agents, 6) enhanced abilities and performance, 7) fostered social bonding and belonging, and 8) acted as a means for recreation and pleasure. The consumption of NPS was also driven by 9) problematic and unintentional use. The present study contributed to a more comprehensive understanding of the users' own and self-reported reasons for using NPS, which needs to be acknowledged not only in order to minimize drug related harm and drug user alienation but also to improve prevention efforts and reduce the potentially counter-intuitive effects of strictly prohibitive policies. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Long-term moderate alcohol consumption does not exacerbate age-related cognitive decline in healthy, community-dwelling older adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Malaak Nasser Moussa

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Recent census data has found that roughly 40% of adults 65 years and older not only consume alcohol but also drink more of it than previous generations. Older drinkers are more vulnerable than younger counterparts to the psychoactive effects of alcohol due to natural biological changes that occur with aging. This study was specifically designed to measure the effect of long-term moderate alcohol consumption on cognitive health in older adult drinkers. An extensive battery of validated tests commonly used in aging and substance use literature was used to measure performance in specific cognitive domains, including working memory and attention. An age (young, old * alcohol consumption (light, moderate factorial study design was used to evaluate the main effects of age and alcohol consumption on cognitive performance. The focus of the study was then limited to light and moderate older drinkers, and whether or not long–term moderate alcohol consumption exacerbated age-related cognitive decline. No evidence was found to support the idea that long-term moderate alcohol consumption in older adults exacerbates age-related cognitive decline. Findings were specific to healthy community dwelling social drinkers in older age and they should not be generalized to individuals with other consumption patterns, like heavy drinkers, binge drinkers or ex-drinkers.

  17. Alcohol, Marijuana, and Tobacco Use among Canadian Youth: Do We Need More Multi-Substance Prevention Programming?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leatherdale, Scott T.; Ahmed, Rashid

    2010-01-01

    Data from the Canadian Youth Smoking Survey (n = 27,030 in 2006; n = 16,705 in 2004; n = 11,757 in 2002) were used to examine changes in the prevalence and comorbid use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana over time and examine if demographic factors and binge drinking are associated with comorbid substance use among youth. Alcohol was the most…

  18. The effects of purchasing alcohol and marijuana among adolescents at-risk for future substance use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osilla, Karen Chan; Pedersen, Eric R; Ewing, Brett A; Miles, Jeremy N V; Ramchand, Rajeev; D'Amico, Elizabeth J

    2014-09-18

    Among high-risk youth, those who may be at increased risk for adverse alcohol and other drug (AOD) use outcomes may benefit from targeted prevention efforts; how youth acquire AOD may provide an objective means of identifying youth at elevated risk. We assessed how youth acquired alcohol and marijuana (purchasing vs. other means), demographics, AOD behaviors/consequences, and environment among adolescents referred to a diversion program called Teen Court (N = 180) at two time points (prior to the program and 180 days from baseline). Participants were predominantly White and Hispanic/Latino(a). In cross-sectional analyses among alcohol and marijuana users, purchasing marijuana was associated with more frequent marijuana use and consequences, time spent around teens who use marijuana, higher likelihood of substance use disorders, and lower resistance self-efficacy compared to non-purchasers. Teens who purchased both alcohol and marijuana experienced similar outcomes to those who purchased only marijuana, and also reported more frequent and higher quantity of drinking, greater alcohol-related consequences, time spent around teens who use other drugs, and prescription drug misuse. Longitudinally, purchasing alcohol and marijuana at baseline was associated with more frequent and higher quantity of drinking compared to non-purchasers at follow-up. Marijuana only purchasers had a greater likelihood of substance use disorders at follow-up compared to non-purchasers. In an era where drinking is commonplace and attitudes towards marijuana use are becoming more tolerant, it is essential to evaluate how accessibility to AOD and subsequent purchasing behaviors affect youth consumption and intervene accordingly to prevent future consequences.

  19. Screening method for rapid classification of psychoactive substances in illicit tablets using mid infrared spectroscopy and PLS-DA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Leandro S A; Lisboa, Fernanda L C; Coelho Neto, José; Valladão, Frederico N; Sena, Marcelo M

    2018-05-09

    Several new psychoactive substances (NPS) have reached the illegal drug market in recent years, and ecstasy-like tablets are one of the forms affected by this change. Cathinones and tryptamines have increasingly been found in ecstasy-like seized samples as well as other amphetamine type stimulants. A presumptive method for identifying different drugs in seized ecstasy tablets (n=92) using ATR-FTIR (attenuated total reflectance - Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) and PLS-DA (partial least squares discriminant analysis) was developed. A hierarchical strategy of sequential modeling was performed with PLS-DA. The main model discriminated four classes: 5-MeO-MIPT, methylenedioxyamphetamines (MDMA and MDA), methamphetamine, and cathinones. Two submodels were built to identify drugs present in MDs and cathinones classes. Models were validated through the estimate of figures of merit. The average reliability rate (RLR) of the main model was 96.8% and accordance (ACC) was 100%. For the submodels, RLR and ACC were 100%. The reliability of the models was corroborated through their spectral interpretation. Thus, spectral assignments were performed by associating informative vectors of each specific modeled class to the respective drugs. The developed method is simple, fast, and can be applied to the forensic laboratory routine, leading to objective results reports useful for forensic scientists and law enforcement. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Characterization of polymorphisms of genes ADH2, ADH3, ALDH2 and CYP2E1 and relationship to the alcoholism in a Colombian population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Méndez, Claudia; Rey, Mauricio

    2015-12-30

    Identify and characterize polymorphisms of genes ADH2, ADH3, ALDH2 and CYP2E1 in a Colombian population residing in the city of Bogotá and determine its possible relationship to the alcoholism. ADH2, ADH3, ALDH2, and CYP2E1 genotypes a population of 148 individuals with non-problematic alcohol and 65 individuals with alcoholism were determined with TaqMan probes and PCR-RFLP. DNA was obtained from peripheral blood white cells. Significant difference was found in family history of alcoholism and use of other psychoactive substances to compare alcoholics with controls. When allelic frequencies for each category (gender) were considered, frequency of A2 allele carriers in ADH2 was found higher in male patients than controls. In women, the relative frequency for c1 allele in CYP2E1 was lower in controls than alcoholics. The ALDH2 locus is monomorphic. No significant differences in allele distributions of the loci examined to compare two populations were observed, however when stratifying the same trend was found that these differences tended to be significant. This study allows us to conclude the positive association between family history of alcoholism and alcoholism suggesting that there is a favourable hereditary predisposition. Since substance dependence requires interaction of multiple genes, the combination of genotypes ADH2 * 2, CYP2E1 * 1 combined with genotype homozygous ALDH2 * 1 found in this study could be leading to the population to a potential risk to alcoholism.

  1. The (co-)occurrence of problematic video gaming, substance use, and psychosocial problems in adolescents

    Science.gov (United States)

    VAN ROOIJ, ANTONIUS J.; KUSS, DARIA J.; GRIFFITHS, MARK D.; SHORTER, GILLIAN W.; SCHOENMAKERS, M. TIM; VAN DE MHEEN, DIKE

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Aims: The current study explored the nature of problematic (addictive) video gaming (PVG) and the association with game type, psychosocial health, and substance use. Methods: Data were collected using a paper and pencil survey in the classroom setting. Three samples were aggregated to achieve a total sample of 8478 unique adolescents. Scales included measures of game use, game type, the Video game Addiction Test (VAT), depressive mood, negative self-esteem, loneliness, social anxiety, education performance, and use of cannabis, alcohol and nicotine (smoking). Results: Findings confirmed problematic gaming is most common amongst adolescent gamers who play multiplayer online games. Boys (60%) were more likely to play online games than girls (14%) and problematic gamers were more likely to be boys (5%) than girls (1%). High problematic gamers showed higher scores on depressive mood, loneliness, social anxiety, negative self-esteem, and self-reported lower school performance. Nicotine, alcohol, and cannabis using boys were almost twice more likely to report high PVG than non-users. Conclusions: It appears that online gaming in general is not necessarily associated with problems. However, problematic gamers do seem to play online games more often, and a small subgroup of gamers – specifically boys – showed lower psychosocial functioning and lower grades. Moreover, associations with alcohol, nicotine, and cannabis use are found. It would appear that problematic gaming is an undesirable problem for a small subgroup of gamers. The findings encourage further exploration of the role of psychoactive substance use in problematic gaming. PMID:25317339

  2. Non medical use and abuse of psychoactive substances among university students in health-related courses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Clesio Nepomuceno

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To understand the pattern of consumption of legal andillicit drugs among students of health-related courses and, if thereare users among the participants in the survey, and find out whetherthey wish to participate in prevention and treatment programs.Methods: Quantitative and descriptive study performed using aself-applicable questionnaire. The study population consisted ofstudents at a private university in the city of Sao Paulo whoanswered a questionnaire on research objectives. Anonymity wasassured, and all of them signed an informed consent form. Results:Five hundred and eighty-three students participated in the study,82% female and 18% male. Most students (75.45% were aged 20-35 years. The average family income ranged from 5 to 15 minimumwages. Among the legal substances, alcohol was most frequentlymentioned as used occasionally, frequently or daily (47.33%,followed by tobacco (36.02%. As to illicit drugs, Cannabis sativawas more often mentioned for experimental and occasional use(12.86% and 2.83% of students reported dependence. It wasfollowed by inhaled substances and cocaine. Crack, heroin in theform of medication (Dolantin, “mushroom tea” and othermedications were also mentioned as tried by the participants.Conclusion: These data were similar to those of other studiesperformed with university students and showed the need to createeducational programs in order to broaden the complexity of thecircle involving drug use and abuse.

  3. Biochemical studies of effects of alcohol consumption on fat and carbohydrate metabolism in rats fed different levels of proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shalan, M.G.M.

    1996-01-01

    Alcohol, ethanol and ethyl alcohol are synonymously used during the present dissertation. Alcohol probably was among the first psychoactive substances to be used by man (Winger et al., 1992). Ethanol is mainly oxidized to acetaldehyde in the liver (Ugarte and Peresa, 1978) by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). Alcohol is associated with many metabolic disorders inside the body (Thayer and Rubin, 1979; Forsander and Poso, 1988; Poso and Hirsimaki, 1991; Bernal, et al., 1992). The nutritional factors which received little attention have an important role in alcoholic metabolizing alterations. Morphologically and biochemically, an increase in hepatic lipid was demonstrated when ethanol was given either as a supplement or as an iso caloric substitute for carbohydrate together with an otherwise nutritionally adequate diet. Low-protein diets have been shown to diminish hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) levels in rats and to slow down the metabolism of ethanol considerably (Wilson et al., 1986). Hepatic steatosis was produced, even with a high-protein, vitamin-supplemented diet and was accompanied by major ultrastructural liver changes and by elevations of hepatic transaminases in blood (Lieber et al., 1963 and 1965 and Lane and Lieber, 1966). If dietary fat was reduced from 35 to 25% of total calories, hepatic triglyceride accumulation greatly decreased (Lieber and DeCarli, 970)

  4. Psychological Correlates of Substance Abuse in Non-psychiatric ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Conclusion: It is recommended that there should always be proper screening of patients on personality and behavioural traits before admission or placement in public institutions in the same way that governments and families should help to restrict the use of psychoactive substances. The paper concluded that there should ...

  5. [Application of hair analysis of selected psychoactive substances for medico-legal purposes. Part II. Cases of complex fatal poisonings: interactions of heroine - cocaine - amphetamines].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rojek, Sebastian; Kłys, Małgorzata; Rzepecka-Woźniak, Ewa; Konopka, Tomasz

    2010-01-01

    The study represents an attempt at employing segmental hair analysis in complex poisonings with xenobiotic mixtures of heroine - cocaine - amphetamines in the context of the cause of death as a consequence of complex interaction mechanisms which occurred prior to death. Two cases of complex poisonings: heroine - cocaine and heroine - cocaine - amphetamines were analyzed and documented with macro- and microscopic examinations and complex toxicological examinations, including the analysis of classic biological material, i.e. samples of selective blood, and alternative material, i.e. hair samples. Determinations of opioids, cocaine and its metabolite and amphetamines in the hair biological matrix were performed using high performance liquid chromatography--atmospheric pressure chemical ionization--tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS-MS). Segmental hair analysis of the investigated cases indicated a prolonged intake of similar psychoactive substances and a developed adaptation of the addicted to interaction mechanisms, which, however, led gradually to multiorgan anatomopathological changes, and in consequence to death.

  6. Screening Drug, Alcohol and Substance Abuse the Psychometric Measures

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    Othman Mohamad Hashim

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Urinalysis was used in previous studies among higher institution students (n=16252 in Malaysia to answer the question of whether university students are involved in drug abuse. However, the use of urinalysis had faced some problems. The problems were related to human rights issues and the cost to perform the urinalysis was expensive and quite impossible to be implemented to a large population of university students. To overcome this problem, this study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of psychometric measures in screening drug, alcohol and substance abuse. The Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory A2 (SASSI-A2 was used for this purpose. SASSI-A2 is a brief screening tool designed to identify individuals who have a high probability of having a substance use disorder, including both substance abuse and substance dependence. SASSI-A2 comprises of 72 items that are rated on a two point scale with response; true and false. SASSI-A2 was translated into Malay language and it was refined through a back-translation technique and focus group approach. Psychometric testing was undertaken on a sample of 750 university students from five public universities in Malaysia. All participants were aged between 19 and 20 years. Internal consistency coefficients were calculated for the total scale and its subscales. Chronbach's alpha obtained for SASSI-A2 was 0.72. This relatively high level of Chronbach's alpha showed relatively high level of reliability. The results demonstrated that the whole SASSI-A2 meets the fundamental measurement properties and can discriminate groups of higher institution students from high to low on the substance dependency variable. The accuracy of the test has been found to be unaffected by gender, ethnicity, age and years of education. Although more rigorous validation studies are needed, it is recommended that SASSI-A2 be considered for usage to higher institution students populations when a brief, objective, and

  7. Prevalence and correlates of alcohol and other substance use disorders in young adulthood: A population-based study

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    Korhonen Tellervo

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Several risk factors for alcohol and other substance use disorders (SUDs have been identified, but it is not well understood whether their associations with SUD are independent of each other. In particular, it is not well known, whether the associations between behavioral and affective factors and SUDs are independent of other risk factors. The incidence of SUDs peaks by young adulthood making epidemiological studies of SUDs in young adults informative. Methods In a comprehensive population-based survey of mental health in Finnish young adults (aged 21-35 years, n = 605, structured clinical interview (SCID-I complemented by medical record data from all lifetime hospital and outpatient treatments were used to diagnose SUDs. We estimated the prevalences of lifetime DSM-IV SUDs, and investigated their associations with correlates from four domains representing: (1 behavioral and affective factors, (2 parental factors, (3 early initiation of substance use, and (4 educational factors. Independence of the association of behavioral and affective factors with SUD was investigated. Results Lifetime prevalences of abuse or dependence of any substance, alcohol, and any illicit substance were 14.2%, 13.1%, and 4.4%, respectively. Correlates from all four domains were associated with SUD. The associations between behavioral and affective factors (attention or behavior problems at school, aggression, anxiousness and SUD were largely independent of other correlates, whereas only daily smoking and low education associated with SUD after adjustment for behavioral and affective factors. Conclusion Alcohol use disorders are common in Finnish young adults, whereas other SUDs are less common than in many other developed countries. Our cross-sectional analyses suggested that the association between behavioral and affective factors and SUD was only partly accounted for by other correlates, such as early initiation of substance use and parental

  8. Screening for alcohol use and associated level of harm in a Primary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background : Psychoactive substance use presents both economic and psychological burden to the society at large with far reaching consequences. The prevalence and pattern of substance use have been studied extensively in many settings; however, studies carried out in primary care centres which are usually the first ...

  9. Nigerian Journal of Psychiatry - Vol 12, No 1 (2014)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Abuse of alcohol and other psychoactive substances among health care workers ... rural centre: Bridging mental health gap · EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT ... convicted homicide offenders in Jos maximum security prison · EMAIL FULL ...

  10. Cardiovascular manifestations of substance abuse: part 2: alcohol, amphetamines, heroin, cannabis, and caffeine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frishman, William H; Del Vecchio, Alexander; Sanal, Shirin; Ismail, Anjum

    2003-01-01

    The abuse of alcohol is associated with chronic cardiomyopathy, hypertension, and arrhythmia. Abstinence or using alcohol in moderation can reverse these cardiovascular problems. Alcohol is also distinguished among the substances of abuse by having possible protective effects against coronary artery disease and stroke when used in moderate amounts. Amphetamines (eg, speed, ice, ecstasy) have many of the cardiovascular toxicities seen with cocaine, including acute and chronic cardiovascular diseases. Heroin and other opiates can cause arrhythmias and noncardiac pulmonary edema, and may reduce cardiac output. Cardiovascular problems are less common with cannabis (marijuana) than with opiates, but major cognitive disorders may be seen with its chronic use. It is still controversial whether caffeine can cause hypertension and coronary artery disease, and questions have been raised about its safety in patients with heart failure and arrhythmia.

  11. Effectiveness of the Sexual Health/Reproductive Health Education Given to Turkey Adolescents Who Use Alcohol or Substance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ataman, Hacer; Kömürcü, Nuran

    The research was conducted experimentally to evaluate the effectiveness of the sexual health/reproductive health (SH/RH) education given to Turkish adolescents who use alcohol or illicit substances. The population was adolescents who use alcohol and substances and were inpatients at the Child and Adolescent Substance Addiction Research, Treatment and Education Center. The adolescents were grouped into the following three groups: Group 1 (control group), Group 2 (those who have received training once), and Group 3 (those who have received training twice). Data were collected between September 2011 and December 2012 using the forms Self-Introduction and Information on Sexual Health-Reproductive Health and Information on Sexual Health-Reproductive Health Education Modules. Upon studying the total SH/RH test scores of the groups individually, a statistically significant difference was observed in the scores of Groups 2 and 3 (p education in a repetitive manner for prevention of risky sexual behavior.

  12. Validity and Reliability of the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) in University Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiburcio Sainz, Marcela; Rosete-Mohedano, Ma Guadalupe; Natera Rey, Guillermina; Martínez Vélez, Nora Angélica; Carreño García, Silvia; Pérez Cisneros, Daniel

    2016-03-02

    The Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST), developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), has been used successfully in many countries, but there are few studies of its validity and reliability for the Mexican population. The objective of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the self-administered ASSIST test in university students in Mexico. This was an ex post facto non-experimental study with 1,176 undergraduate students, the majority women (70.1%) aged 18-23 years (89.5%) and single (87.5%). To estimate concurrent validity, factor analysis and tests of reliability and correlation were carried out between the subscale for alcohol and AUDIT, those for tobacco and the Fagerström Test, and those for marijuana and DAST-20. Adequate reliability coefficients were obtained for ASSIST subscales for tobacco (alpha = 0.83), alcohol (alpha = 0.76), and marijuana (alpha = 0.73). Significant correlations were found only with the AUDIT (r = 0.71) and the alcohol subscale. The best balance of sensitivity and specificity of the alcohol subscale (83.8% and 80%, respectively) and the largest area under the ROC curve (81.9%) was found with a cutoff score of 8. The self-administered version of ASSIST is a valid screening instrument to identify at-risk cases due to substance use in this population.

  13. The Adults in the Making program: long-term protective stabilizing effects on alcohol use and substance use problems for rural African American emerging adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brody, Gene H; Yu, Tianyi; Chen, Yi-fu; Kogan, Steven M; Smith, Karen

    2012-02-01

    This report addresses the long-term efficacy of the Adults in the Making (AIM) prevention program on deterring the escalation of alcohol use and development of substance use problems, particularly among rural African American emerging adults confronting high levels of contextual risk. African American youths (M age, pretest = 17.7 years) were assigned randomly to the AIM (n = 174) or control (n = 173) group. Past 3-month alcohol use, past 6-month substance use problems, risk taking, and susceptibility cognitions were assessed at pretest and at 6.4, 16.6, and 27.5 months after pretest. Pretest assessments of parent-child conflict, affiliations with substance-using companions, and perceived racial discrimination were used to construct a contextual risk factor index. A protective stabilizing hypothesis was supported; the long-term efficacy of AIM in preventing escalation of alcohol use and substance use problems was greater for youths with higher pretest contextual risk scores. Consistent with a mediation-moderation hypothesis, AIM-induced reductions over time in risk taking and susceptibility cognitions were responsible for the AIM × contextual risk prevention effects on alcohol use and substance use problems. Training in developmentally appropriate protective parenting processes and self-regulatory skills during the transition from adolescence to emerging adulthood for rural African Americans may contribute to a self-sustaining decreased interest in alcohol use and a lower likelihood of developing substance use problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

  14. Gene-environment interplay in alcoholism and other substance abuse disorders: expressions of heritability and factors influencing vulnerability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palomo, Tomas; Kostrzewa, R M; Beninger, R J; Archer, T

    2004-01-01

    Factors that confer predisposition and vulnerability for alcoholism and other substance abuse disorders may be described usefully within the gene-environment interplay framework. Thus, it is postulated that heritability provides a major contribution not only to alcohol but also to other substances of abuse. Studies of evoked potential amplitude reduction have provided a highly suitable and testable method for the assessment of both environmentally-determined and heritable characteristics pertaining to substance use and dependence. The different personal attributes that may co-exist with parental influence or exist in a shared, monozygotic relationship contribute to the final expression of addiction. In this connection, it appears that personality disorders are highly prevalent co-morbid conditions among addicted individuals, and, this co-morbidity is likely to be accounted for by multiple complex etiological relationships, not least in adolescent individuals. Co-morbidity associated with deficient executive functioning may be observed too in alcohol-related aggressiveness and crimes of violence. The successful intervention into alcohol dependence and craving brought about by baclofen in both human and animal studies elucidates glutamatergic mechanisms in alcoholism whereas the role of the dopamine transporter, in conjunction with both the noradrenergic and serotonergic transporters, are implicated in cocaine dependence and craving. The role of the cannabinoids in ontogeny through an influence upon the expression of key genes for the development of neurotransmitter systems must be considered. Finally, the particular form of behaviour/characteristic outcome due to childhood circumstance may lie with biological, gene-based determinants, for example individual characteristics of monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity levels, thereby rendering simple predictive measures both redundant and misguiding.

  15. Epidemiology of psychoactive drug use amongst adolescents in metropolitan Lagos, Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Famuyiwa, Oluwole; Aina, Olatunji F; Bankole-Oki, Olufunlayo M

    2011-07-01

    The study was conducted in response to the lack of epidemiological data in recent time on the use of psychoactive substances by adolescents in metropolitan Lagos-a city unique for its socio-economic profile. We considered some methodological issues omitted in several previous studies. A total of 4,286 school pupils (mean age 15.2) were anonymously administered a Self-Report Questionnaire to ascertain a range of key drug use factors in lifetime and 1-year periods. The rate of use of most of the 14 substances investigated was much higher than reported in any other study on comparable population sample. We found that 61.8 and 32.1% of respondents have used one or more substances in their lifetime and in the past 1 year, respectively. High lifetime rates of use were found for common stimulants: coffee, kolanut, and prescription drugs (barbiturates and minor tranquilisers). The rate of use of proscribed addictive substances, cannabis, heroin, and cocaine, ranged between 4.0 and 4.8%. Missing data and non-response rates were few; however, social acquiescence, under and over reporting, could be mitigant to estimation of rates and patterns of use. We advocate properly articulated school-based educative programmes that can facilitate drug demand reduction.

  16. COMORBIDITY DIAGNOSES IN ALCOHOL DEPENDENT PATIENTS: DIFFERENCES AND DILEMMAS

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    Maja Rus-Makovec

    2002-11-01

    Full Text Available Background. In the presented study we followed the diagnostic procedures of comorbidity in alcohol dependent patients of in-patient treatment. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of dual/triple diagnoses with alcohol dependent patients and to incorporate the diagnostic procedures in rutine work and in treatment planning.Material and methods. We were following the basic parameters of treatment of 469 patients (366 male, 102 female from July 1999 to July 2001. The diagnostic criteria according to ICD-10 were applied after at least four weeks of sobriety.Results. The most frequent additional diagnoses found were nicotine dependency, depressive and personal disorders. Main gender differences were found in diagnosis of depressive disorders and in dependency or abuse of prescripted drugs. Comparison of our results with literature data showed the greatest differences in diagnoses of cognitive, depressive, anxious data and dependency of other psychoactive substances.Conclusions. The comparison between the two time periods shows that stuff sensibility to diagnostic procedures of comorbidity states influences the frequency of diagnostic categories. The literature data review leads to impression of inconsistent diagnosing regarding the context and phylosophy of treatment context, stuff education and patient population.

  17. Validação da versão brasileira do teste de triagem do envolvimento com álcool, cigarro e outras substâncias (ASSIST Validation of the Brazilian version of Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iara Ferraz Silva Henrique

    2004-04-01

    World Health Organization (WHO developed the Alcohol Smoking and Substance Screening Test (ASSIST. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of ASSIST, as well as its reliability and concurrent validity in the detection of psychoactive substance use and related problems. METHODS: The ASSIST and three validated diagnostic instruments (Mini-Plus, AUDIT, RTQ were applied to 99 patients of primary/secondary health care services and to 48 patients in treatment for alcohol and drug dependence in specialized services, at São Paulo and Curitiba cities. RESULTS: The ASSIST' scores to alcohol showed good correlation with AUDIT' scores. The ASSIST presented high sensitivity and specificity in the detection of alcohol, cannabis and cocaine abuse/dependence, considering the MINI-Plus diagnostic the "gold-standard". The reliability of the instrument was good (Cronbach's alpha of 0.80 to alcohol, 0.79 to cannabis and 0.81 to cocaine. CONCLUSIONS: The psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the ASSIST seem to be satisfactory, recommending its use in patients of primary/secondary health care services.

  18. Validation of the French version of the alcohol, smoking and substance involvement screening test (ASSIST in the elderly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khan Riaz

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Substance use disorders seem to be an under considered health problem amongst the elderly. The Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST, was developed by the World Health Organization to detect substance use disorders. The present study evaluates the psychometric properties of the French version of ASSIST in a sample of elderly people attending geriatric outpatient facilities (primary care or psychiatric facilities. Methods One hundred persons older than 65 years were recruited from clients attending a geriatric policlinic day care centre and from geriatric psychiatric facilities. Measures included ASSIST, Addiction Severity Index (ASI, Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI-Plus, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT, Revised Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire-Smoking (RTQ and MiniMental State(MMS. Results Concurrent validity was established with significant correlations between ASSIST scores, scores from ASI, AUDIT, RTQ, and significantly higher ASSIST scores for patients with a MINI-Plus diagnosis of abuse or dependence. The ASSIST questionnaire was found to have high internal consistency for the total substance involvement along with specific substance involvement as assessed by Cronbach’s α, ranging from 0.66, to 0.89 . Conclusions The findings demonstrate that ASSIST is a valid screening test for identifying substance use disorders in elderly.

  19. An analytical approach to the forensic identification of different classes of new psychoactive substances (NPSs) in seized materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strano Rossi, Sabina; Odoardi, Sara; Gregori, Adolfo; Peluso, Giuseppe; Ripani, Luigi; Ortar, Giorgio; Serpelloni, Giovanni; Romolo, Francesco Saverio

    2014-09-15

    New psychoactive substances (NPSs) are rapidly spreading worldwide, and forensic laboratories are often requested to identify new substances for which no reference standards or analytical data are available. This article describes an analytical approach that was adopted in Italy by a few collaborative centres of the Italian Early Warning System for Drugs, which has contributed many alerts for the identification of different classes of NPSs in the last 24 months. Seized crystals and powders were initially analysed via single quadrupole gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), followed by liquid chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC/HRMS) in the positive electrospray ionisation (ESI) mode at 100,000 full width at half maximum resolution (FWHM) without fragmentation to elucidate the elemental compositions of unknown molecules. Different fragmentation voltages during LC/HRMS were applied to study the accurate masses of the obtained characteristic fragments. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses were performed to identify specific isomers when necessary. Some interesting examples of unknown NPSs from seizures later identified in our laboratories are reported, with special focus on those cases where analytical standards were not available during analyses. These cases include cathinones, such as 3-methylmethcathinone (3-MMC), methylone, bk-MBDB (butylone), 4-methylethcathinone (4-MEC), flephedrone, methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and pentedrone, methoxetamine, apinaca or AKB48, benzydamine, meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP), 5-MeO-N,N-dialkyl tryptamines, such as 5-MeO-DALT and 5-MeOMIPT, benzofurans, such as 6-APB and 4-APB, and diphenidine (identified for the first time in Europe). The identification of NPSs in confiscated materials was successfully achieved via GC/MS coupled with LC/HRMS and, in a few cases, NMR analyses. The availability of GC/MS libraries is of great assistance in the identification of new drugs. Alternatively, the study

  20. Social Activity, School-Related Activity, and Anti-Substance Use Media Messages on Adolescent Tobacco and Alcohol Use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moon, Sung Seek; Rao, Uma

    2011-01-01

    In this article, we present the effects of three hypothesized protective factors: social activities, school-related activities, and anti-substance use media messages on adolescent tobacco and alcohol use. Data were drawn from the "Monitoring the Future" (MTF) research project, which was conducted by the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. The sample included 2,551 twelfth-grade students. The results of the structural equation model showed that exposure to media anti-drug messages had an indirect negative effect on tobacco and alcohol use through school-related activity and social activity. The results suggest that comprehensive ecological interventions encompassing media, family, and school can increase on the preventive effects of adolescent's substance use.

  1. Risk factors for out-of-home custody child care among families with alcohol and substance abuse problems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarkola, Taisto; Kahila, Hanna; Gissler, Mika; Halmesmäki, Erja

    2007-11-01

    To study the risk of children to mothers with alcohol and/or substance abuse related problems for early childhood out-of-home care in Finland. A population-based cross-sectional retrospective analysis of 526 pregnant women attending special outpatient clinics during 1992-2001 and their 626 offspring, with out-of-home care data until 2003 provided by the National Child Welfare Register. Fifty percent (95% confidence interval 46-54%) were at some point and 38% (34-42%) by the age of two years, in out-of-home care. Out-of-home care was associated with maternal care for substance abuse after delivery, nonemployment, housing, daily smoking during pregnancy, increasing number of previous births, mother in custody in her childhood, maternal education, previous child in custody, drug in urine during pregnancy, unplanned pregnancy, partner with significant abuse, regular health-care contact for abuse, daily alcohol consumption before and/or during pregnancy, newborn not discharged with mother, neonatal abstinence symptoms (NAS), intensified perinatal surveillance or NICU, and delayed discharge from hospital. There is a substantial risk of children born to mothers with significant alcohol and/or substance abuse related problems for out-of-home care during early childhood. Factors identified during the pre- and perinatal period are associated with this risk.

  2. DRUGS – “WAY” OF LIFE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Nowacka

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available This article refers to the phenomenon of an increasing number of people abusing drugs in the 20th century. In addition to the natural types of narcotics there are many other semi-synthetic and fully synthetic substances made available to the market by chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The use of narcotics and psychoactive substances usually causes adverse and often irreversible health effects. In Department of Laboratory Diagnostics of the Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health in Sosnowiec tests for presence of drugs are among routinely conducted analyses. The presence of drugs has been revealed in 898 cases between the years 2004 and 2008. On top of the list of the most frequently detected narcotics were: amphetamine, cannabis, opiates, methamphetamine and cocaine. At the same time the most popular psychoactive substances are atropine, scopolamine and psilocybin. Additionally, the laboratory analyses indicated in many cases the presence of derivatives of benzodiazepines, trycyclic antidepressants and alcohol. Regional Centre of Acute Intoxication in Sosnowiec, Poland, hospitalized 78 patients due to overdose of drugs, narcotics or psychoactive substances as a result of experimenting with such substances. Half of the hospitalized cases patients have tried to commit suicide; one of the attempts has led to death. According to patients’ history their problems with reaching out for the use of psychoactive substances and narcotics were mainly caused by socio-psychological disorders.

  3. A novel screening method for 64 new psychoactive substances and 5 amphetamines in blood by LC-MS/MS and application to real cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaiano, Fabio; Busardò, Francesco P; Palumbo, Diego; Kyriakou, Chrystalla; Fioravanti, Alessia; Catalani, Valeria; Mari, Francesco; Bertol, Elisabetta

    2016-09-10

    Identification and quantification of new psychoactive substances (NPS), both in biological and non-biological samples, represent a hard challenge for forensic toxicologists. NPS are increasingly emerging on illegal drug market. Many cases of co-consumption of NPS and other substances have also been reported. Hence, the development of analytical methods aiming at the detection of a broad-spectrum of compounds (NPS and "traditional" drugs) could be helpful. In this paper, a fully validated screening method in blood for the simultaneous detection of 69 substances, including 64 NPS (28 synthetic cannabinoids, 19 synthetic cathinones, 5 phenethylamines, 3 indanes, 2 piperazines, 2 tryptamines, 2 phencyclidine, methoxetamine, ketamine and its metabolite) and 5 amphetamines (amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA, MDA, 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-ethylamphetamine - MDEA-) by a dynamic multiple reaction monitoring analysis through liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is described. This method is very fast, easy to perform and cheap as it only requires the deproteinization of 200μL of blood sample with acetonitrile. The chromatographic separation is achieved with a C18 column. The analysis is very sensitive, with limits of quantification ranging from 0.1 to 0.5ng/mL. The method is linear from 1 to 100ng/mL and the coefficient of determination (R(2)) was always above 0.9900. Precision and accuracy were acceptable at any quality control level and recovery efficiency range was 72-110%. Matrix effects did not negatively affect the analytical sensitivity. This method was successfully applied to three real cases, allowing identification and quantification of: mephedrone and methamphetamine (post-mortem); ketamine, MDMA and MDA (post-mortem); AB-FUBINACA (ante-mortem). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Gaming under the influence: An exploratory study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Škařupová, Kateřina; Blinka, Lukas; Ťápal, Adam

    2018-05-23

    Background and aims Association between substance use and excessive play of online games exists both in theory and research. However, no study to date examined playing online games under the influence of licit and illicit drugs. Methods We questioned a convenient online sample of 3,952 Czech online gamers on their experiences and motives of using caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, psychoactive pharmaceuticals, and illicit drugs while playing massive multiplayer online games (MMOGs). Results The results showed low prevalence of illicit drug use while playing online games. Substance use was positively associated with intensity of gaming and both addiction and engagement; psychoactive substances with stimulating effect were linked to higher engagement and gaming intensity, whereas use of sedatives was associated with higher addiction score. Substance use varied slightly with the preference of game genre. Discussion Drug use while playing appears as behavior, which is mostly not related to gaming - it concerns mostly caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, or cannabis. For some users, however, drug use was fueled by motivations toward improving their cognitive enhancement and gaming performance.

  5. Genetic and environmental influences on alcohol, caffeine, cannabis, and nicotine use from early adolescence to middle adulthood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kendler, Kenneth S; Schmitt, Eric; Aggen, Steven H; Prescott, Carol A

    2008-06-01

    While both environmental and genetic factors are important in the etiology of psychoactive substance use (PSU), we know little of how these influences differ through development. To clarify the changing role of genes and environment in PSU from early adolescence through middle adulthood. Retrospective assessment by life history calendar, with univariate and bivariate structural modeling. General community. A total of 1796 members of male-male pairs from the Virginia Adult Twin Study of Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders. Levels of use of alcohol, caffeine, cannabis, and nicotine recorded for every year of the respondent's life. For nicotine, alcohol, and cannabis, familial environmental factors were critical in influencing use in early adolescence and gradually declined in importance through young adulthood. Genetic factors, by contrast, had little or no influence on PSU in early adolescence and gradually increased in their effect with increasing age. The sources of individual differences in caffeine use changed much more modestly over time. Substantial correlations were seen among levels of cannabis, nicotine, and alcohol use and specifically between caffeine and nicotine. In adolescence, those correlations were strongly influenced by shared effects from the familial environment. However, as individuals aged, more and more of the correlation in PSU resulted from genetic factors that influenced use of both substances. These results support an etiologic model for individual differences in PSU in which initiation and early patterns of use are strongly influenced by social and familial environmental factors while later levels of use are strongly influenced by genetic factors. The substantial correlations seen in levels of PSU across substances are largely the result of social environmental factors in adolescence, with genetic factors becoming progressively more important through early and middle adulthood.

  6. Global issues in volatile substance misuse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dell, Colleen Anne; Gust, Steven W; MacLean, Sarah

    2011-01-01

    This special issue of Substance Use & Misuse addresses the public health issue of volatile substance misuse (VSM), the inhalation of gases or vapors for psychoactive effects, assessing the similarities and differences in the products misused, patterns, prevalence, etiologies, and impacts of VSM by examining it through sociocultural epidemiology, neuroscience, and interventions research. The Canadian, US, and Australian guest editors contend that, when compared with other drugs used at a similar prevalence, VSM has attracted relatively little research effort. The authors and editors call for further research to develop evidence-based policies and comprehensive interventions that respect culture and context-specific knowledge.

  7. Prevalence of hospitalized live births affected by alcohol and drugs and parturient women diagnosed with substance abuse at liveborn delivery: United States, 1999-2008.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, I-Jen; Yi, Hsiao-ye

    2013-05-01

    To describe prevalence trends in hospitalized live births affected by placental transmission of alcohol and drugs, as well as prevalence trends among parturient women hospitalized for liveborn delivery and diagnosed with substance abuse problems in the United States from 1999 to 2008. Comparison of the two sets of trends helps determine whether the observed changes in neonatal problems over time were caused by shifts in maternal substance abuse problems. This study independently identified hospitalized live births and maternal live born deliveries from discharge records in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, one of the largest hospital administrative databases. Substance-related diagnosis codes on the records were used to identify live births affected by alcohol and drugs and parturient women with substance abuse problems. The analysis calculated prevalence differences and percentage changes over the 10 years, with Loess curves fitted to 10-year prevalence estimates to depict trend patterns. Linear and quadratic trends in prevalence were simultaneously tested using logistic regression analyses. The study also examined data on costs, primary expected payer, and length of hospital stays. From 1999 to 2008, prevalence increased for narcotic- and hallucinogen-affected live births and neonatal drug withdrawal syndrome but decreased for alcohol- and cocaine-affected live births. Maternal substance abuse at delivery showed similar trends, but prevalence of alcohol abuse remained relatively stable. Substance-affected live births required longer hospital stays and higher medical expenses, mostly billable to Medicaid. The findings highlight the urgent need for behavioral intervention and early treatment for substance-abusing pregnant women to reduce the number of substance-affected live births.

  8. Utilización de sustancias psicoactivas en alumnos de anatomía y su implicación en el aprendizaje The use of psychoactive substances in Anatomy students and its implication in learning

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    M.J. Mazzoglio y Nabar

    2011-06-01

    turn to substances with the objective of being able to stay up more hours with a sharp attention focused on their study. However, these substances can interfere long term memory and can generate pharmaceutical dependency. Aim. To establish the prevalence of the use of psychoactive substances in University students and to relate it with sleeping patterns and social-economic-educational characteristics. Subjects and methods. Cross-sectional study using standardized questionnaire with multiple choice system administered to 122 Anatomy students in the year 2009. Statistic parameters were applied and an informed consent was demanded. Results. 79.51% said that they were not able to read all the topics and 36.89% said that they memorized concepts; 25% started to memorize subjects three days before the exam, 20.49% did it the previous day, and 19.67% memorized subjects the night before the exam without sleeping. 25.41% answered that they used substances for sleeping and 41.8% used some substances to increase studying hours, such as: coffee, energy drinks, psychopharmacological medication (45.09% modafinil and methylphenidate and acetylsalicylic acid. The numbers of hours working correlated with the number of substances consumed (r = 0.89; students that where taking the subject again had less hours of sleep indirectly correlated with the use of psychoactives (r = -0.86. Conclusions. We recorded a high prevalence of consumptions of psychoactive substances, especially amongst students that are repeating the course and students that had jobs. It is of utmost importance to implement pedagogical tools that increase motivation, attention, and the associative capacities under an integrative-educational conception.

  9. [Salivary flow and psychoactive drug consumption in elderly people].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cabrera, Marcos Aparecido Sarria; Mesas, Arthur Eumann; Rossato, Luiz Angelo; Andrade, Selma Maffei de

    2007-01-01

    To analyze the association between low saliva flow rates and the use of psychoactive drugs among the elderly. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 267 elderly people from 60 to 74 years of age who lived in a borough of the city of Londrina, Paraná State, Brazil. Individuals with high functional dependence or restricted to bed were excluded. Saliva flow rate was the dependent variable with values under the first tercile being considered as low flow rates (less than 0.44 ml/min). The continuous use of psychoactive drugs (antidepressant, antiepileptic, sedative, antipsychotic, hypnotic or sedative-hypnotic drugs) was the independent variable. Multivariate analysis was performed taking into account gender, age and smoking status. The majority of the elderly were women (80.5%), with a mean age of 66.5 years. Use of psychoactive drugs was observed among 31 elderly (11.6%). Mean saliva flow rate was 0.76 ml/min, lower among users of psychoactive drugs (0.67 ml/min). In the multivariate analysis, use of psychoactive drugs was associated with low saliva flow rates (psychoactive drugs and low saliva flow rates in this group of independent and non-institutionalized elderly. These conclusions stress the need of a rational use of these drugs, particularly among the elderly.

  10. Development of risk perception and substance use of tobacco, alcohol and cannabis among adolescents and emerging adults: evidence of directional influences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grevenstein, Dennis; Nagy, Ede; Kroeninger-Jungaberle, Henrik

    2015-02-01

    While several studies have investigated the relationship between risk perception and substance use, surprisingly little is known about mutual influences between both variables over time. The present study aimed to explore two different hypotheses separately for tobacco, alcohol and cannabis: influences from risk perception on behavior (motivational hypothesis) and influences from behavior on risk perception (risk reappraisal hypothesis). A prospective and longitudinal cross-lagged panel design was used with substance use and risk perception measured five times over the course of 10 years. Participants were 318 German youths aged 14-15 at the beginning of the study. Risk perception and substance use frequency were measured using self-reports. Structural equation modeling indicated significant influences of risk perception on substance use behavior for all substances, which supports the motivational hypothesis. Changes in risk perception predict changes in future substance use of tobacco, alcohol and cannabis. Specifically for cannabis, influences of substance use on risk perception can also be shown, thus, supporting the risk reappraisal hypothesis. While there is support for the rationale behind adequate risk perception as a goal of preventive interventions, the possibility of risk reappraisal should not be neglected, especially regarding illicit substances.

  11. Prevalence of Self-Medication of Psychoactive Stimulants and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence of self-medication of psychoactive stimulants and antidepressants among pharmacy students of Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional survey on self-medication of psychoactive stimulants and antidepressants among pharmacy students was conducted with a structured and validated ...

  12. Integrating Substance Abuse Treatment and Child Welfare Services: Findings from the Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Waiver Demonstration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryan, Joseph P.; Marsh, Jeanne C.; Testa, Mark F.; Louderman, Richard

    2006-01-01

    Alcohol and other drug abuse is a major problem for children and families involved with public child welfare. Substance abuse compromises appropriate parenting practices and increases the risk of child maltreatment. A substantial proportion of substantiated child abuse and neglect reports involve parental substance abuse. Once in the system,…

  13. Risk Factors of Narcotic and Psychoactive Drugs Use among University and High School Student

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    Ali Kashi

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Aim: Today use of different banned substances such as narcotic, psychoactive and energetic drugs are social problem that has created worry in different levels of human societies. The aim of present study was examined the prevalence of use of narcotic and psychoactive drugs among high school and university students also identifying of risk factors associated with the use of this materials. Method: The population of this descriptive survey study was all students of high school and university of Khodabandeh city. By cluster random sampling 580 students of high school and university selected and questionnaires distributed among them. After eliminating incomplete questionnaires 480 students remained as research sample. Results: In consideration of selected sample the most important reasons of using of narcotics are: enjoying and curiosity, exposed to bad environment like addicted friends and families, joblessness, economic problems, lack of information and loss of affection. Conclusion: The analysis of the results indicated the high prevalence of narcotic and drugs use and necessity of codification of preventive programs for these people.

  14. African Journal of Drug & Alcohol Studies, 15(2), 2016 Copyright ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    commercial vehicle drivers, and there is a need to develop a system that ... system is inadequate to meet demand. .... Psychoactive substance use disorders. Drug type harmful use. Dependence. PY ... adhere to traffic regulations on control or.

  15. Maternal hair and neonatal meconium to assess gestational consumption and prenatal exposure to drugs of abuse and psychoactive drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cortes, Laura; Almeida, Laura; Sabra, Sally; Muniesa, Marta; Busardo, Francesco Paolo; Garcia-Algar, Oscar; Gomez-Roig, Maria Dolores

    2018-04-05

    In the last two decades, the consumption of drugs of abuse among women of childbearing age has experienced a significant increase and results from analyses of surveys concerning maternal intake of psychoactive prescription drugs during pregnancy indicate that the rates of intake are increasing each year. Analyses of biological matrices such as maternal hair and neonatal meconium have recently been used for assessment of gestational consumption and consequent prenatal exposure to drugs of abuse in high-risk groups of women METHODS: Maternal hair and neonatal meconium were analyzed by validated chromatographic mass spectrometric methodologies to disclose gestational use of drugs of abuse and psychoactive prescription drugs and consequent prenatal exposure in a cohort of 513 mother-newborn dyads at the Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Hospital, Spain, during 2012- 2013. A total of 3.9% the women reported drugs of abuse or prescription psychoactive drug consumption at any time during pregnancy. The prevalence of gestational consumption and consequent prenatal exposure to drugs of abuse (e.g. cannabis, cocaine and MDMA) was 1.2% in maternal hair and 0.4% in meconium; that of psychoactive prescription drugs (e.g. venlafaxine, citalopram, fluoxetine, clomipramine) was 1.7% in maternal hair and 1.2% in meconium. The prevalence of drugs of abuse and prescription psychoactive drug consumption was lower in our specific cohort of Spanish pregnant women than in other cohorts such as those from U.S. or Denmark. Analysis of materno-fetal matrices provides a viable alternative to study prenatal exposure to these substances and develop specific social and health intervention recommendations. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  16. Álcool, drogas e crime Alcohol, drugs and crime

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel Chalub

    2006-10-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Este artigo descreve duas situações complexas e duplamente preocupantes em termos de saúde pública, seja, por sua alta prevalência e/ou por suas conseqüências. Trata-se dos transtornos do uso de substâncias psicoativas e a criminalidade. Será relatada a forma como diversos pesquisadores as associam, bem como a situação das perícias de usuários e dependentes de álcool e drogas. MÉTODO: Realizou-se uma revisão das publicações sobre o tema, utilizando-se, como bancos de dados, o Medline e o Lilacs, cobrindo o período de 1986 a 2006. Os descritores usados foram: "alcoholism", "drug dependence", "drug abuse" e "crime". Resumos de congressos, artigos e livros relevantes sobre o tema, publicados por diferentes autoridades no assunto, em diversas fases de pesquisa, foram consultados e incluídos. CONCLUSÃO: As diversas pesquisas coincidem na afirmação de uma associação entre transtornos do uso de substâncias psicoativas e criminalidade. O que é possível constatar é a alta proporção de atos violentos quando o álcool ou as drogas ilícitas estão presentes entre agressores, suas vítimas ou em ambos. Quando se realiza um exame pericial em autores que alegam alguma relação do ato praticado com consumo de álcool/drogas, esta perícia deve levar em consideração a substância em uso, o quadro clínico por ela causado, bem como verificar a presença de um diagnóstico, a existência de nexo causal e possíveis alterações na capacidade de entendimento e/ou determinação do agente.OBJECTIVE: This article describes two complex and doubly preoccupying situations in terms of public health, either, for its high prevalence and/or its consequences. These problems are the psychoactive substance use disorder and crime. The form will be told as diverse researchers associate them, as well as the situation of the exam of users and alcohol dependents and drugs. METHOD: A revision of publications was become fulfilled on the

  17. The impact of media-related cognitions on children's substance use outcomes in the context of parental and peer substance use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scull, Tracy M; Kupersmidt, Janis B; Erausquin, Jennifer Toller

    2014-05-01

    Media-related cognitions are a unique influence on adolescents' substance use outcomes even after accounting for the powerful influence of parent and peers. This cross-sectional study expands upon prior research by investigating the impact of media-related cognitions on children's alcohol and tobacco outcomes in the context of parental and peer substance use. Six hundred forty-nine elementary school children (M = 9.4 years of age, SD = 1.1 years; 51 % female) completed self-report questionnaires. After accounting for peer and parental substance use, children's media-related cognitions were independently associated with three outcomes: preferences for alcohol-branded merchandise, moral beliefs about underage alcohol and tobacco use, and intentions to use alcohol and tobacco. Children's perceptions of the desirability and realism of alcohol and tobacco ads--and their similarity to and identification with these ads--predicted greater intentions to use. Desirability and identification with alcohol and tobacco ads were associated with stronger preferences for alcohol-branded merchandise, and understanding advertising's persuasive intent predicted weaker preferences. Media deconstruction skills predicted stronger beliefs that underage alcohol and tobacco use is wrong. Peer and parental substance use were associated with stronger substance-use intentions among children and weaker feelings that substance use is wrong. The findings highlight the role of media influence in contributing to youth substance use and the potential role of media literacy education in the early prevention of substance use.

  18. Similarities and Differences between Individuals Seeking Treatment for Gambling Problems vs. Alcohol and Substance Use Problems in Relation to the Progressive Model of Self-stigma

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    Belle Gavriel-Fried

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Aims: People with gambling as well as substance use problems who are exposed to public stigmatization may internalize and apply it to themselves through a mechanism known as self-stigma. This study implemented the Progressive Model for Self-Stigma which consists four sequential interrelated stages: awareness, agreement, application and harm on three groups of individuals with gambling, alcohol and other substance use problems. It explored whether the two guiding assumptions of this model (each stage is precondition for the following stage which are trickle-down in nature, and correlations between proximal stages should be larger than correlations between more distant stages would differentiate people with gambling problems from those with alcohol and other substance use problems in terms of their patterns of self-stigma and in terms of the stages in the model.Method: 37 individuals with gambling problems, 60 with alcohol problems and 51 with drug problems who applied for treatment in rehabilitation centers in Israel in 2015–2016 were recruited. They completed the Self-stigma of Mental Illness Scale-Short Form which was adapted by changing the term “mental health” to gambling, alcohol or drugs, and the DSM-5-diagnostic criteria for gambling, alcohol or drug disorder.Results: The assumptions of the model were broadly confirmed: a repeated measures ANCOVA revealed that in all three groups there was a difference between first two stages (aware and agree and the latter stages (apply and harm. In addition, the gambling group differed from the drug use and alcohol groups on the awareness stage: individuals with gambling problems were less likely to be aware of stigma than people with substance use or alcohol problems.Conclusion: The internalization of stigma among individuals with gambling problems tends to work in a similar way as for those with alcohol or drug problems. The differences between the gambling group and the alcohol and other

  19. [Structure and Family Type in Patients With Substance Abuse or Dependence Psychoactive Rehabilitation Center of Addiction in the Municipality of Chia Cundinamarca].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vargas Navarro, Pedro; Parra Vera, Mario Danilo; Arévalo Zamora, Caterín; Cifuentes Gaitán, Luisa Karen; Valero Carvajal, Jaime; Sierra de Jaramillo, Margarita

    2015-01-01

    To determine the family type, family structure in a group of patients with a diagnosis of substance abuse or dependence who were at a rehabilitation center for addiction during the period between August and October 2009. Through a descriptive qualitative-interpretative methodology 10 patients who met inclusion criteria for substance dependence or abuse were studied. The fieldwork and transcripts were made for three months by non-participant observation, non-structured interviews and examination of patients' clinical history. Seven of the families interviewed were single-parent families with an unconventional organization on "gender roles". Single-parent families favored loneliness, difficulty in rule-setting, de-idealization of the place of the father in the family structure and a constant search for complicity. In the analysis by categories, we found that in 10 families in the study of individuals with addictions it is common to find family structure characteristics such as inadequate communication, lack of authority rules and limits, presence of triangulations, the lack of cohesion due to the existence of a disconnected relationship pattern and changed roles compared to conventional gender. The search for the affection of the mother at her emotional overload absence of roles and lack of father, raised by the separation of the couple, was found as an essential aspect underlying the addictive behavior. A pattern of parental abandonment is configured. The findings confirmed what has been mentioned by various authors regarding the characteristics of the family typology structure and personal factors in patients with addictions, in addition to their need for affection combined with the desire for the mother's presence. The family typology does not determine for itself the abuse of psychoactive substances, but the influence of other factors such as family structure, especially deficient affective interactions, which should be considered in the development of

  20. The importance of a positive family history of alcoholism, parental rejection and emotional warmth, behavioral problems and peer substance use for alcohol problems in teenagers: a path analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnow, Sven; Schuckit, Marc A; Lucht, Michael; John, Ulrich; Freyberger, Harald J

    2002-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to test a hypothetical model of alcohol problems in German adolescents. Among 180 offspring, family history of alcoholism, parenting styles, behavioral and emotional problems, peer-group characteristics, feelings of self-esteem, behavioral problems and psychiatric comorbidity of the parents were examined. Data were generated from the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP), in which families were randomly selected if 12-18 year old biological offspring were members of the household; a smaller group of subjects was selected from local outpatient treatment centers. Members of 133 families, including 180 (50.6% male) offspring who were appropriate for the current analyses, received personal semistructured diagnostic interviews and several self-rating questionnaires. Analyses compared offspring with alcohol problems (AP; n = 40) and with no alcohol problems (NAP; n = 140), and used structural equation modeling to test a hypothetical model. The comparisons revealed that the AP group had significantly more behavioral problems (e.g., aggression/delinquency), more perceived parental rejection and less emotional warmth, a higher amount of alcohol consumption, were more likely to associate with substance-using peers and more often received a diagnosis of conduct disorder or antisocial personality disorder. Whereas the family history of alcoholism did not differ significantly between groups, parents of offspring with an alcohol use disorder had significantly more additional diagnoses on DSM-IV Axis I. The evaluation of the model supported the importance of aggression/delinquency and association with substance-using peers for alcohol problems in people. An additional diagnosis in the parents was directly and indirectly (through aggression/delinquency) related to alcohol problems of the adolescents. The data indicate that alcohol problems in the offspring are associated with several domains of influence in their environment. Prospective studies

  1. [Vegetables as new psychoactive drugs: a narrative review].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez Salgado, Beatriz; Gómez-Arnau Ramírez, Jorge; Sánchez Mateos, Daniel; Dolengevich Segal, Helen

    2016-01-21

    There is growing interest in plants with psychoactive effects among consumers with different levels of experience. This has generated a need for updated knowledge among medical professionals and other health workers. These plants, which may be used in shamanic healing ceremonies or rituals or just for traditional purposes, have emerged in the Western world as new psychoactive drugs; largely thanks to the ease of purchase, sale, cultivation and exchange of information that the Internet offers. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the most important psychoactive plants, either by their mention in Internet forums or harm-reduction portals or by their allusion in scientific texts.

  2. Expectativas de resultados frente ao uso de álcool, maconha e tabaco Outcome expectancy considering the use of alcohol, cannabis and tobacco

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosemeri Siqueira Pedroso

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available Este artigo teve como objetivo realizar uma revisão teórica acerca do construto expectativas de resultados frente ao uso de álcool, maconha e tabaco. As expectativas de resultados são determinadas a partir do que as pessoas acreditam acerca dos efeitos de determinada droga, sendo uma variável importante no tratamento de dependentes químicos. Foram realizadas buscas de artigos publicados nas bases de dados MEDLINE, PsycINFO, ProQuest, Ovid, LILACS e Cork, usando os descritores belief, expectancy, expectation, drugs, psychoactive e effect. Os resultados demonstraram que as expectativas de resultados frente ao uso dessas substâncias podem surgir de fontes como: exposição a estímulos condicionados, dependência física, crenças pessoais e culturais e fatores situacionais e ambientais. Conclui-se que ainda há necessidade de novas pesquisas quanto às expectativas relacionadas às diferentes substâncias psicoativas e faixas etárias para uma melhor compreensão deste construto.This article aims to perform a theoretical review about the outcome expectancy construct considering the use of alcohol, cannabis and tobacco. Outcome expectancy is determined by people's belief about the effects of a drug. It is an important variable for the treatment of chemically dependent patients. Searches in the electronic databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, ProQuest, Ovid, LILACS and Cork were carried out, using the following descriptors: belief, expectancy, expectation, drugs, psychoactive, and effect. Results showed that outcome expectancy considering the use of those substances can be generated from: exposure to conditioning stimuli, physical dependence, personal and cultural beliefs, and situational and environmental factors. In conclusion, there is the need of new researches on expectancies related to psychoactive substances and age groups in order to have a better understanding of this construct.

  3. Detection of "bath salts" and other novel psychoactive substances in hair samples of ecstasy/MDMA/"Molly" users.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palamar, Joseph J; Salomone, Alberto; Vincenti, Marco; Cleland, Charles M

    2016-04-01

    Ecstasy (MDMA) in the US is commonly adulterated with other drugs, but research has not focused on purity of ecstasy since the phenomenon of "Molly" (ecstasy marketed as pure MDMA) arose in the US. We piloted a rapid electronic survey in 2015 to assess use of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) and other drugs among 679 nightclub/festival-attending young adults (age 18-25) in New York City. A quarter (26.1%) of the sample provided a hair sample to be analyzed for the presence of select synthetic cathinones ("bath salts") and some other NPS. Samples were analyzed using fully validated UHPLC-MS/MS methods. To examine consistency of self-report, analyses focused on the 48 participants with an analyzable hair sample who reported lifetime ecstasy/MDMA/Molly use. Half (50.0%) of the hair samples contained MDMA, 47.9% contained butylone, and 10.4% contained methylone. Of those who reported no lifetime use of "bath salts", stimulant NPS, or unknown pills or powders, about four out of ten (41.2%) tested positive for butylone, methylone, alpha-PVP, 5/6-APB, or 4-FA. Racial minorities were more likely to test positive for butylone or test positive for NPS after reporting no lifetime use. Frequent nightclub/festival attendance was the strongest predictor of testing positive for MDMA, butylone, or methylone. Results suggest that many ecstasy-using nightclub/festival attendees may be unintentionally using "bath salts" or other NPS. Prevention and harm reduction education is needed for this population and "drug checking" (e.g., pill testing) may be beneficial for those rejecting abstinence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Why does society accept a higher risk for alcohol than for other voluntary or involuntary risks?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rehm, Jürgen; Lachenmeier, Dirk W; Room, Robin

    2014-10-21

    Societies tend to accept much higher risks for voluntary behaviours, those based on individual decisions (for example, to smoke, to consume alcohol, or to ski), than for involuntary exposure such as exposure to risks in soil, drinking water or air. In high-income societies, an acceptable risk to those voluntarily engaging in a risky behaviour seems to be about one death in 1,000 on a lifetime basis. However, drinking more than 20 g pure alcohol per day over an adult lifetime exceeds a threshold of one in 100 deaths, based on a calculation from World Health Organization data of the odds in six European countries of dying from alcohol-attributable causes at different levels of drinking. The voluntary mortality risk of alcohol consumption exceeds the risks of other lifestyle risk factors. In addition, evidence shows that the involuntary risks resulting from customary alcohol consumption far exceed the acceptable threshold for other involuntary risks (such as those established by the World Health Organization or national environmental agencies), and would be judged as not acceptable. Alcohol's exceptional status reflects vagaries of history, which have so far resulted in alcohol being exempted from key food legislation (no labelling of ingredients and nutritional information) and from international conventions governing all other psychoactive substances (both legal and illegal). This is along with special treatment of alcohol in the public health field, in part reflecting overestimation of its beneficial effect on ischaemic disease when consumed in moderation. A much higher mortality risk from alcohol than from other risk factors is currently accepted by high income countries.

  5. Psychoactive substances and the provision of specialized care: the case of Espirito Santo Substâncias psicoativas e a provisão de cuidados especializados: o caso do Espírito Santo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marluce Miguel de Siqueira

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: In this study, we conducted a survey of all the institutions that provide treatment for psychoactive substances in the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil during the period 2004-2005. METHOD: We used a snowball sampling technique to include all the treatment facilities in our State in which we employed a semi-structured interview instrument for key informants at each institution. We present descriptive results and test differences between groups using the Chi-square test. RESULTS: In Espirito Santo, 250 institutions provide treatment for psychoactive substances and are distributed as follows: governmental (17.6%, nongovernmental (22.8%, and self-help groups (59.6%. Of these 250 institutions, 85 provide direct care, with the majority found in the Central region (70.6% and followed by the Northern (15.3% and Southern (14.1% regions. The majority of those that provide direct care are private nonprofit centers (16.8% institutions with ties to religious organizations make up nearly one-third (30.6% of direct care providers. The drugs most consumed by those seeking care are alcohol (82.4%, tobacco (81.2% and marijuana (68.2%. The institutions generally give assistance to people in the 26-45 years age group (89.4%; with regard to gender, the institutions take care of: men (31.8%, women (5.9%, and both sexes (56.5%. The treatment models most used are psychosocial (58.8%, therapeutic community (47.1% and biomedical (43.5% and the work is evaluated through the team technique (72.9 %. CONCLUSIONS: In the state of Espirito Santo, indirect care services are many times greater than those that offer direct care and the majority of all services are in the Central region. The populations in the mainland have a comparative disadvantage when it comes to treatment options for psychoactive substance use. We observed that a significant number of institutions that provide drug abuse treatment have financial support from religious organizations. The Espirito

  6. Psychoactive constituents of cannabis and their clinical implications: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casajuana Köguel, Cristina; López-Pelayo, Hugo; Balcells-Olivero, Mª Mercedes; Colom, Joan; Gual, Antoni

    2018-04-15

    Objective This systematic review aims to summarize current evidence on which naturally present cannabinoids contribute to cannabis psychoactivity, considering their reported concentrations and pharmacodynamics in humans. Design Following PRISMA guidelines, papers published before March 2016 in Medline, Scopus-Elsevier, Scopus, ISI-Web of Knowledge and COCHRANE, and fulfilling established a-priori selection criteria have been included. Results In 40 original papers, three naturally present cannabinoids (∆-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, ∆-8-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabinol) and one human metabolite (11-OH-THC) had clinical relevance. Of these, the metabolite produces the greatest psychoactive effects. Cannabidiol (CBD) is not psychoactive but plays a modulating role on cannabis psychoactive effects. The proportion of 9-THC in plant material is higher (up to 40%) than in other cannabinoids (up to 9%). Pharmacodynamic reports vary due to differences in methodological aspects (doses, administration route and volunteers' previous experience with cannabis). Conclusions Findings reveal that 9-THC contributes the most to cannabis psychoactivity. Due to lower psychoactive potency and smaller proportions in plant material, other psychoactive cannabinoids have a weak influence on cannabis final effects. Current lack of standard methodology hinders homogenized research on cannabis health effects. Working on a standard cannabis unit considering 9-THC is recommended.

  7. [Prevalence of psychoactive drug consumption in an obese population].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cerdá Esteve, Maria A; Barral Tafalla, Diego; Gudelis, Mindaugas; Goday, Albert; Farre Albaladejo, Magi; Cano, Juan F

    2010-04-01

    To establish the prevalence of psychoactive drug consumption in an obese population. We collected data from the clinical records of obese patients attending the Endocrinology and Nutrition Department and Psychiatry Department of Hospital del Mar between June 2005 and May 2006 (n=259). We recorded anthropometric, epidemiological and toxicological data. We also investigated the prevalence of concomitant diseases in this population. Psychoactive drugs were consumed by 37% of obese patients, mainly antidepressants (27%), anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics, and anticonvulsants. Moreover, 15% of all patients received combination treatment with two or more psychoactive drugs, mostly the association of an antidepressant and an antiepileptic drug. The prevalence of psychoactive drug consumption in our sample was higher than prevalence data observed in the general population, with antidepressant consumption being three-fold higher. Copyright 2009 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  8. The Use of Logotherapeutic Techniques in the Identification and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    info

    solely biological or psychological treatments, as the majority of current interventions are centered (Kalat, 2001; ... among cocaine-dependent patients and increasing of meaning in life for smoking cessation (Steger ..... alcohol and psychoactive substance consumption in samples French and. Congolese high school students ...

  9. Psychiatric disorders among individuals who drive after the recent use of alcohol and drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faller, Sibele; Webster, J Matthew; Leukefeld, Carl G; Bumaguin, Daniela Benzano; Duarte, Paulina do Carmo Arruda Vieira; De Boni, Raquel; Pechansky, Flavio

    2012-10-01

    This cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among drivers , as well as the association between recent alcohol and drug use and psychiatric diagnoses using telephone interviews. Drivers (n = 1,134) included in a roadside survey from 25 Brazilian state capitals were given a breathalyzer test, and their saliva was tested for psychoactive drugs. A telephone interview was conducted to perform psychiatric disorder evaluations using the MINI. This association was analyzed with a Poisson regression model. The prevalence of any psychiatric disorder was 40.5% among drivers with recent alcohol or drug use, compared with 12.9% among the other drivers. Alcohol/drug-positive drivers reported a higher prevalence of depression (19.4%), mania (6.5%), hypomania (5.4%), post-traumatic stress disorder (8.6%), antisocial personality (7.8%), and substance/alcohol abuse or dependence (48.1%) compared with other drivers (3.5, 2.5, 2.1, 0.5, 1.3 and 18.3% [p < 0.001], respectively). Drivers with recent alcohol or drug use were 2.5 times more likely to have a psychiatric diagnosis (CI: 1.8-3.6, p < 0.001). This is the first study in a low-/middle-income country to evaluate psychiatric disorders in drivers with recent alcohol or drug using telephone interviews. Psychiatric disorders were found to be associated with drug and alcohol use. This type of epidemiological information for curtailing related driving problems, as these psychiatric conditions are diagnosable. The results of this study can aid in the design of interventions, treatment programs and focused psychiatric evaluations, both in Brazil and abroad.

  10. Prevalence of Hospitalized Live Births Affected by Alcohol and Drugs and Parturient Women Diagnosed with Substance Abuse at Liveborn Delivery: United States, 1999–2008

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, I-Jen; Yi, Hsiao-ye

    2015-01-01

    Objective To describe prevalence trends in hospitalized live births affected by placental transmission of alcohol and drugs, as well as prevalence trends among parturient women hospitalized for liveborn delivery and diagnosed with substance abuse problems in the United States from 1999 to 2008. Comparison of the two sets of trends helps determine whether the observed changes in neonatal problems over time were caused by shifts in maternal substance abuse problems. Methods This study independently identified hospitalized live births and maternal live born deliveries from discharge records in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, one of the largest hospital administrative databases. Substance-related diagnosis codes on the records were used to identify live births affected by alcohol and drugs and parturient women with substance abuse problems. The analysis calculated prevalence differences and percentage changes over the 10 years, with Loess curves fitted to 10-year prevalence estimates to depict trend patterns. Linear and quadratic trends in prevalence were simultaneously tested using logistic regression analyses. The study also examined data on costs, primary expected payer, and length of hospital stays. Results From 1999 to 2008, prevalence increased for narcotic- and hallucinogen-affected live births and neonatal drug withdrawal syndrome but decreased for alcohol- and cocaine-affected live births. Maternal substance abuse at delivery showed similar trends, but prevalence of alcohol abuse remained relatively stable. Substance-affected live births required longer hospital stays and higher medical expenses, mostly billable to Medicaid. Conclusions The findings highlight the urgent need for behavioral intervention and early treatment for substance-abusing pregnant women to reduce the number of substance-affected live births. PMID:22688539

  11. Relation of Mental Health to Alcohol and Substance Use Among Texas College Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shafer, Alan B; Koenig, Jessica A; Becker, Emilie A

    2017-04-01

    We examined the effect of mental health problems and difficulties on alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use among college students by using the 2013 Texas College Survey of Substance Use (n=11,216), which includes the K6 screening scale for severe mental illness (SMI). Students' K6 scores were used to classify them into 3 groups: those likely to have SMI (9% with scores ≥ 13), those with some mental health problems (36%), and those without mental health issues (55% with scores ≤ 4). Questions regarding ATOD use were analyzed using these 3 groups. Alcohol use was not significantly associated with K6 scores, although problematic alcohol behaviors as measured by the CAGE test were. Higher cigarette use was significantly associated with higher K6 scores. Finally, both higher marijuana and higher drug use (across 9 other individual drugs) were significantly associated with higher K6 scores. Although higher K6 scores were associated with higher rates of drug use, most students with high K6 scores did not use drugs. However, given the higher level of risk, drug and alcohol interventions should be made available for those students who receive mental health counseling.

  12. Substance Use and Mental Health

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... and Alcohol Tobacco Learn More Substance Use and Mental Health Drugs and Alcohol Did you know that addiction ... Plus – also en Español Treatment Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA): SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-662- ...

  13. Gender Orientation and Alcohol-Related Weight Control Behavior among Male and Female College Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peralta, Robert L.; Barr, Peter B.

    2017-01-01

    Objective: We examine weight control behavior used to (a) compensate for caloric content of heavy alcohol use; and (b) enhance the psychoactive effects of alcohol among college students. We evaluate the role of gender orientation and sex. Participants: Participants completed an online survey (N = 651; 59.9% women; 40.1% men). Method: Weight…

  14. Substance use among sportive adolescents in the French-speaking part of Switzerland

    OpenAIRE

    Bélanger, R.

    2010-01-01

    CONTEXTE: Pour diverses raisons, les adultes et en particulier les parents croient que la pratique sportive à l'adolescence est un facteur de protection contre les comportements à risque tels que la consommation de substances. Les preuves présentes à l'intérieur de la littérature ne sont toutefois pas concluantes à ce sujet. Le principal objectif de notre étude était donc de comparer la prévalence de la consommation de substances psychoactives (licites et illicites) et de substances ergogéniq...

  15. The Long-term Effects of Self-Esteem on Depression: The Roles of Alcohol and Substance Uses during Young Adulthood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Kiwoong; Yang, Tse-Chuan

    2017-01-01

    Using the National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth 1979, this study examines the roles of alcohol and substance use as mediators in the mechanism between self-esteem and depression, and investigates whether the mechanism works for both men and women. Results demonstrate that alcohol and substance use during young adulthood mediates the effect of self-esteem on depression among men. Furthermore, self-esteem during young adulthood remains a determinant of high depression in middle adulthood. However, we did not find evidence to support that same mechanism among women. Our findings provide insight into how self-esteem affects depression over the transition from young to middle adulthood, and elucidate potential gendered responsivity to low self-esteem.

  16. Fobia social e transtorno de pânico: relação temporal com dependência de substâncias psicoativas Fobia Social y trastorno de pánico: relación temporaria con dependencia de sustancias psicoactivas Social phobia and panic disorder: temporal relation with psychoactive substance dependence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mauro Barbosa Terra

    2003-12-01

    sustancias psicoactivas. MÉTODO: los diagnósticos psiquiátricos fueron obtenidos a través de entrevista clínica semi-estructurada (SCID-I, basada en los criterios do DSM-IV. Un cuestionario fue desenvuelto por los autores, visando estudiar el relacionamiento temporáneo entre el inicio del trastorno del uso de sustancias, y el principio de trastorno de pánico y de la fobia social. RESULTADOS: apenas 1 (2.1 % paciente presentó trastorno de pánico antes del uso de sustancias psicoactivas. La mayoría de los pacientes con ataques de pánico, cumplían criterios para el diagnóstico de trastorno de ansiedad inducido por el uso de sustancias: 11 (22.9% de los pacientes tuvieron ataques de pánico apenas durante la intoxicación o en el síndrome de abstinencia, o sea, secundariamente al uso de drogas. Cuanto a la fobia social, 16 (33.3% pacientes presentaban este trastorno, siendo que, en todos, la fobia social se inició antes de comenzar el uso de sustancias psicoactivas. CONCLUSIONES: lo descubierto confirma la elevada frecuencia de fobia social en pacientes dependientes de sustancias psicoactivas, y refuerza la hipótesis de la auto-medicación en esta comorbidad, una vez que esta fobia tiende a preceder el uso de drogas. Cuanto al trastorno de pánico, en nuestra muestra, este parece derivar de una complicación del uso de sustancias psicoactivas.INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study is: 1 to determine the prevalence of panic disorder and social phobia in patients hospitalized due to the use of psychoactive substances; 2 to determine the temporal relation between the beginning of these anxiety disorders and the beginning of the use of psychoactive substances. METHODS: The psychiatric diagnoses were made by means of semi-structured clinical interviews (SCID-I, based on DSM-IV criteria. A questionnaire was developed by the authors for the purpose of studying the temporal relation between the beginning of the disorder due to psychoactive substances and the beginning

  17. Co-ingestion of energy drinks with alcohol and other substances among a sample of people who regularly use ecstasy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peacock, Amy; Sindicich, Natasha; Dunn, Matthew; Whittaker, Elizabeth; Sutherland, Rachel; Entwistle, Gavin; Burns, Lucinda; Bruno, Raimondo

    2016-05-01

    Despite the potential harms of mixing unregulated drugs with energy drinks (ED), research to date has primarily been focused on EDs co-ingested with alcohol. Consequently, the aim of the present study was to explore the rate of use, harms and correlates of EDs co-ingested with alcohol and other drugs among a sample of people who regularly use illicit stimulant drugs. In 2010, 693 Australians who regularly used ecstasy completed a 1-h interview about their past six-month ED and drug use. Three-quarters of the sample (77%) had recently consumed EDs with other substances, primarily alcohol (70%) and ecstasy (57%). People who consumed ED with alcohol versus those who had consumed ED with ecstasy and with alcohol (only 8% reported only consuming ED with ecstasy) had similar profiles in regards to demographics, drug use, mental health and drug-related problems. Primary motives for consuming ED with alcohol included increased alertness (59%), the taste (25%), to party for longer (23%) and to combat fatigue (16%). One-half (52%) and one-quarter (27%) of participants who consumed EDs with alcohol and with ecstasy respectively had recently experienced adverse outcomes post-consumption, primarily headaches (24% and 11%) and heart palpitations (21% and 14%). Co-ingestion of EDs with licit and illicit drugs is common among people who regularly use ecstasy and related drugs. Adverse outcomes of co-ingestion suggest that targeted education regarding negative interactive drug effects is crucial for harm reduction. [Peacock A, Sindicich N, Dunn M, Whittaker E, Sutherland R, Entwistle G, Burns L, Bruno R. Co-Ingestion of Energy Drinks with Alcohol and Other Substances among a Sample of People Who Regularly Use Ecstasy. Drug Alcohol Rev 2016;35:352-358]. © 2015 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

  18. Can Assessment Reactivity Predict Treatment Outcome among Adolescents with Alcohol and Other Substance Use Disorders?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaminer, Yifrah; Burleson, Joseph A.; Burke, Rebecca H.

    2008-01-01

    The objectives of this paper are two-fold: to examine first, if the change from positive to negative alcohol and any other substance use status from baseline assessment to the onset of the first session (i.e., pre-treatment phase) occurs in adolescents, that is, Assessment Reactivity (AR); second, whether AR predicts treatment outcome.…

  19. Cognitive Bias Modification for adolescents with substance use problems - Can serious games help?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boendermaker, W.J.; Prins, P.J.M.; Wiers, R.W.

    2015-01-01

    Background and Objectives: Excessive use of psychoactive substances and resulting disorders are a major societal problem, and the most prevalent mental disorder in young men. Recent reviews have concluded that Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) shows promise as an intervention method in this field.

  20. Identification and initial management of intoxication by alcohol and other drugs in the pediatric emergency room

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thiago Gatti Pianca

    Full Text Available Abstract Objective: To review the screening, diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of intoxication by alcohol and other drugs in children and adolescents in the emergency scenario. Data source: This was a narrative literature review. Data summary: The detection of this problem in the emergency room can be a challenge, especially when its assessment is not standardized. The intentional and episodic use of large amounts of psychoactive substances by adolescents is a usual occurrence, and unintentional intoxication is more common in children younger than 12 years. The clinical picture in adolescents and children differs from that in adults and some particularities are important in the emergency scenario. After management of the acute condition, interventions targeting the adolescent at risk may be effective. Conclusion: The diagnosis and treatment of intoxication by alcohol and other drugs in adolescents and children in the emergency scenario requires a systematic evaluation of the use of these drugs. There are few specific treatments for intoxication, and the management comprehends support measures and management of related clinical complications.

  1. Identification and initial management of intoxication by alcohol and other drugs in the pediatric emergency room.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pianca, Thiago Gatti; Sordi, Anne Orgle; Hartmann, Thiago Casarin; von Diemen, Lisia

    To review the screening, diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of intoxication by alcohol and other drugs in children and adolescents in the emergency scenario. This was a narrative literature review. The detection of this problem in the emergency room can be a challenge, especially when its assessment is not standardized. The intentional and episodic use of large amounts of psychoactive substances by adolescents is a usual occurrence, and unintentional intoxication is more common in children younger than 12 years. The clinical picture in adolescents and children differs from that in adults and some particularities are important in the emergency scenario. After management of the acute condition, interventions targeting the adolescent at risk may be effective. The diagnosis and treatment of intoxication by alcohol and other drugs in adolescents and children in the emergency scenario requires a systematic evaluation of the use of these drugs. There are few specific treatments for intoxication, and the management comprehends support measures and management of related clinical complications. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  2. Which psychoactive prescription drugs are illegally obtained and through which ways of acquisition? About OPPIDUM survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frauger, Elisabeth; Nordmann, Sandra; Orleans, Veronica; Pradel, Vincent; Pauly, Vanessa; Thirion, Xavier; Micallef, Joëlle

    2012-08-01

    The objective of the study was to determine which psychoactive prescription drugs are illegally obtained and through which ways of acquisition. OPPIDUM is an annual national study. It is based on specialized care centers that included subjects presenting a drug dependency or under opiate maintenance treatment. All their psychoactive substances consumed are reported. This work focuses on the different ways of acquisition specially the illegal ways of acquisition (bought on the street, forged prescription, stolen, given, internet). For each medication illegally obtained, a ratio has been calculated (number of illegal acquisitions divided by the number of described acquisitions). In 2008, 5542 subjects have been included and have described the consumption of 11 027 substances including 63.8% of prescription drugs. Among them, 11% were illegally obtained. The different illegal acquisition ways were 'street market' (77.6%), 'gift' (16.6%), 'theft' (2.3%), 'forged prescription' (2.3%), and 'internet' (0.7%). The third first drugs illegally obtained were high dosage buprenorphine, methadone, and clonazepam. Some prescription drugs, less consumed, have an important ratio of illegal acquisition like ketamine, flunitrazepam, morphine, trihexyphenidyl, or methylphenidate. This study confirms that theft, forged prescription and internet are few used and permits to highlight diversion of prescription drugs. It is important to inform healthcare professionals on the different prescription drugs that are illegally obtained. © 2011 The Authors Fundamental and Clinical Pharmacology © 2011 Société Française de Pharmacologie et de Thérapeutique.

  3. Rhabdomyolysis Syndrome in Alcohol, Psychotropic Drugs, and Illicit Substance Poisonings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyed Kazem Taheri

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Rhabdomyolysis is one of the major complications of poisoning causedby alcohol, narcotics, and psychotropic substances acute toxicity, which might lead toacute renal failure and even death. This study aimed to evaluate clinical and laboratoryfindings of rhabdomyolysis syndrome in poisoning patients who were admitted topoisoning ward of Farshchian Hospital of Hamadan, Iran.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, patients with acute toxicity by alcohol, narcotics,or psychotropic drugs who were admitted in poisoning ward of Farshchian Hospital ofHamadan were investigated during a 6-month period in 2012. Clinical and laboratorydata were collected by a standard questionnaire and analyzed by the SPSS softwareversion 16.Results: Eighty-two patients aged between 14 to 81 years were investigated. Twentytwocases developed rhabdomyolysis and narcotics related toxicity was the mostcommon cause. The most common clinical symptom in all patients was muscle pain(51cases, Laboratory studies showed some significant differences between serumcreatine kinase (CK, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, serum creatinine, andaminotransferases (AST,ALT levels in rhabdomyolysis cases as compared to theothers (p<0.05.Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that the incidence of rhabdomyolysissyndrome in acute intoxication with alcohol and narcotics is significant and withoutproper treatment might cause serious complications such as acute renal failure andeven death. Classic clinical signs and symptoms of rhabdomyolysis are usually notpresent simultaneously, thus strong clinical suspicion and proper laboratory tests haveimportant role in early diagnosis and suitable treatment. Laboratory studies have animportant role in the diagnosis of this syndrome.

  4. Energy Drink Administration in Combination with Alcohol Causes an Inflammatory Response and Oxidative Stress in the Hippocampus and Temporal Cortex of Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alfonso Díaz

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Energy drinks (EDs are often consumed in combination with alcohol because they reduce the depressant effects of alcohol. However, different researches suggest that chronic use of these psychoactive substances in combination with alcohol can trigger an oxidative and inflammatory response. These processes are regulated by both a reactive astrogliosis and an increase of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, TNF-α, and iNOS, causing cell death (apoptosis at the central and peripheral nervous systems. Currently, mechanisms of toxicity caused by mixing alcohol and ED in the brain are not well known. In this study, we evaluated the effect of chronic alcohol consumption in combination with ED on inflammatory response and oxidative stress in the temporal cortex (TCx and hippocampus (Hp of adult rats (90 days old. Our results demonstrated that consuming a mixture of alcohol and ED for 60 days induced an increase in reactive gliosis, IL-1β, TNF-α, iNOS, reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, and nitric oxide, in the TCx and Hp. We also found immunoreactivity to caspase-3 and a decrease of synaptophysin in the same brain regions. The results suggested that chronic consumption of alcohol in combination with ED causes an inflammatory response and oxidative stress, which induced cell death via apoptosis in the TCx and Hp of the adult rats.

  5. Does comorbid alcohol and substance abuse affect electroconvulsive therapy outcome in the treatment of mood disorders?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moss, Lori; Vaidya, Nutan

    2014-03-01

    Antidepressant medications remain the principal agents used to treat patients with mood disorders, although 30% to 40% of these patients do not improve. One of the factors associated with poor medication response is alcohol and substance abuse. Persons with mood disorders are at the greatest risk for suicide, and alcoholism is a significant additional risk factor. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is shown to be the most effective treatment for major depression especially when associated with psychosis, catatonia, and suicide intent. However, similar to most antidepressant trials, patients with depression and comorbid alcohol and substance abuse are excluded from ECT efficacy studies. Through a retrospective chart review, we compared response to ECT in patients with mood disorder and comorbid alcohol and drug abuse to those with mood disorder only. From 2004 to 2010, 80 patients with mood disorder received ECT. Fifty of these had comorbid alcohol or drug abuse. Using a 10-item psychopathology scale, we compared pre- and post-ECT symptom severity between the 2 groups. Outcome was determined by measuring a decrease in the pre-ECT and post-ECT score using Wilcoxon rank tests, with statistical significance at P = 0.05. There was no difference between the 2 groups in most demographics, ECT medication, or seizure quality. There was no difference in ECT outcome between those with comorbid alcohol abuse and those without based on percent decrease in pre- and post-ECT symptom scores (abuse: mean [SD], 0.89 [0.2] vs nonabuse: mean [SD], 0.93 [0.16]; Wilcoxon, 1332; P = 0.086). When we compared those who met the criteria for alcohol or drug dependence (19 patients) with those with no abuse, there was a trend for the dependence group to not do as well (dependence: mean [SD], 0.83 [0.25] vs nonabuse: mean [SD], 0.93 [0.16]; Wilcoxon, 405; P = 0.053). Those with combined drug and alcohol abuse (18 patients) did have a significantly worse outcome (combined: mean [SD], 0.82 [0

  6. Contributions of Child Sexual Abuse, Self-Blame, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, and Alcohol Use to Women's Risk for Forcible and Substance-Facilitated Sexual Assault.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mokma, Taylor R; Eshelman, Lee R; Messman-Moore, Terri L

    2016-01-01

    Child sexual abuse and adult sexual assault have been linked to increased self-blame, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and alcohol use. The current study aims to examine (a) whether these constructs explain women's risk for later adult sexual assault and revictimization, (b) whether such factors differentially confer risk for specific types of adult sexual assault (i.e., substance-facilitated and forcible), and (c) if self-blame confers risk indirectly through other risk factors. Multiple types of self-blame, posttraumatic stress, and alcohol use were examined among 929 female college students as serial mediators of the relationship between child sexual abuse and adult sexual assault and as risk factors for sexual revictimization among child sexual abuse survivors. In the model predicting risk for substance-facilitated adult sexual assault, child sexual abuse indirectly predicted greater risk for substance-facilitated adult sexual assault mediated through two separate paths: global blame-to-posttraumatic-stress and global blame-to-alcohol use. In the model predicting risk for forcible adult sexual assault, child sexual abuse directly predicted greater risk for forcible adult sexual assault, and this relation was mediated by the global blame-to-posttraumatic-stress path. Among child sexual abuse survivors, child sexual abuse specific characterological and behavioral self-blame directly predicted greater risk for forcible and substance-facilitated revictimization, but the pathways were not mediated by posttraumatic stress or alcohol use. Results emphasize the importance of assessing different types of self-blame in predicting posttraumatic stress symptoms as well as examining risk for sexual victimization and revictimization. Findings did not support hypotheses that increased posttraumatic stress would predict increased alcohol use but did indicate that heightened self-blame is consistently associated with heightened posttraumatic stress and that heightened global self

  7. Workplace Substance-Use Norms as Predictors of Employee Substance Use and Impairment: A Survey of U.S. Workers*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frone, Michael R.; Brown, Amy L.

    2010-01-01

    Objective: Although much research has explored the relation of substance-use norms to substance use among college students, much less research has focused on employed adults and the workplace as a social context for social norms regarding substance use. This study explored the relation of descriptive and injunctive workplace substance-use norms regarding alcohol and illicit drug use to employee substance use. Both alcohol use and illicit drug use were explored, as well as overall and context-specific use and impairment. Method: Data were collected from a national probability sample of 2,430 employed adults (55% female) using a random-digit-dial telephone survey. Overall employee alcohol and illicit drug use were assessed, as well as use before work, use and impairment during the workday, and use after work. Results: After controlling for a number of potential covariates, injunctive norms regarding workplace alcohol and illicit drug use predicted substance use and impairment overall and across all contexts of use. Descriptive norms predicted alcohol and illicit drug use before and during work, as well as workplace impairment. Conclusions: This study shows that both workplace injunctive and descriptive norms are important predictors of substance use in the U.S. workforce. There were two general patterns, however, that were consistent across both alcohol and illicit drug use. Social norms marketing campaigns, therefore, may be a useful way for employers to target employee substance use. The present results also helped to integrate the results of several prior studies that employed narrower samples and measures. PMID:20553660

  8. Alcohol and other substance use among medical and law students at a UK university: a cross-sectional questionnaire survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bogowicz, Paul; Ferguson, Jennifer; Gilvarry, Eilish; Kamali, Farhad; Kaner, Eileen; Newbury-Birch, Dorothy

    2018-03-01

    To examine the use of alcohol and other substances among medical and law students at a UK university. Anonymous cross-sectional questionnaire survey of first, second and final year medical and law students at a single UK university. 1242 of 1577 (78.8%) eligible students completed the questionnaire. Over half of first and second year medical students (first year 53.1%, second year 59.7%, final year 35.9%) had an Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score suggestive of an alcohol use disorder (AUDIT≥8), compared with over two-thirds of first and second year law students (first year 67.2%, second year 69.5%, final year 47.3%). Approximately one-quarter of medical students (first year 26.4%, second year 28.4%, final year 23.7%) and over one-third of first and second year law students (first year 39.1%, second year 42.4%, final year 18.9%) reported other substance use within the past year. Over one-third of medical students (first year 34.4%, second year 35.6%, final year 46.3%) and approximately half or more of law students (first year 47.2%, second year 52.7%, final year 59.5%) had a Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale anxiety score suggestive of a possible anxiety disorder. Study participants had high levels of substance misuse and anxiety. Some students' fitness to practice may be impaired as a result of their substance misuse or symptoms of psychological distress. Further efforts are needed to reduce substance misuse and to improve the mental well-being of students. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  9. Adolescent Depression, Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deykin, Eva Y.; And Others

    1987-01-01

    Interviews of 434 college students revealed that prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) was 6.8 percent; of alcohol abuse, 8.2 percent; and of substance abuse, 9.4 percent. Alcohol and substance abuse were associated with MDD. Substance abuse was associated with other psychiatric diagnoses as well. MDD usually preceded alcohol or substance…

  10. Synthesis, characterization, and monoamine transporter activity of the new psychoactive substance 3',4'-methylenedioxy-4-methylaminorex (MDMAR).

    Science.gov (United States)

    McLaughlin, Gavin; Morris, Noreen; Kavanagh, Pierce V; Power, John D; Twamley, Brendan; O'Brien, John; Talbot, Brian; Dowling, Geraldine; Mahony, Olivia; Brandt, Simon D; Patrick, Julian; Archer, Roland P; Partilla, John S; Baumann, Michael H

    2015-07-01

    The recent occurrence of deaths associated with the psychostimulant cis-4,4'-dimethylaminorex (4,4'-DMAR) in Europe indicated the presence of a newly emerged psychoactive substance on the market. Subsequently, the existence of 3,4-methylenedioxy-4-methylaminorex (MDMAR) has come to the authors' attention and this study describes the synthesis of cis- and trans-MDMAR followed by extensive characterization by chromatographic, spectroscopic, mass spectrometric platforms and crystal structure analysis. MDMAR obtained from an online vendor was subsequently identified as predominantly the cis-isomer (90%). Exposure of the cis-isomer to the mobile phase conditions (acetonitrile/water 1:1 with 0.1% formic acid) employed for high performance liquid chromatography analysis showed an artificially induced conversion to the trans-isomer, which was not observed when characterized by gas chromatography. Monoamine release activities of both MDMAR isomers were compared with the non-selective monoamine releasing agent (+)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) as a standard reference compound. For additional comparison, both cis- and trans-4,4'-DMAR, were assessed under identical conditions. cis-MDMAR, trans-MDMAR, cis-4,4'-DMAR and trans-4,4'-DMAR were more potent than MDMA in their ability to function as efficacious substrate-type releasers at the dopamine (DAT) and norepinephrine (NET) transporters in rat brain tissue. While cis-4,4'-DMAR, cis-MDMAR and trans-MDMAR were fully efficacious releasing agents at the serotonin transporter (SERT), trans-4,4'-DMAR acted as a fully efficacious uptake blocker. Currently, little information is available about the presence of MDMAR on the market but the high potency of ring-substituted methylaminorex analogues at all three monoamine transporters investigated here might be relevant when assessing the potential for serious side-effects after high dose exposure. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Family dynamics and alcohol and marijuana use among adolescents: The mediating role of negative emotional symptoms and sensation seeking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trujillo, Ángela; Obando, Diana; Trujillo, Carlos A

    2016-11-01

    The literature indicates a close relationship between family dynamics and psychoactive substance use among adolescents, and multi-causality among substance use-related problems, including personal adolescent characteristics as potential influential aspects in this relationship. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of emotional symptoms and sensation seeking as mediators in the relationship between family dynamics and alcohol and marijuana use among adolescents. The sample consisted of 571 high school students with a mean age of 14.63, who completed the Communities That Care Youth Survey in its Spanish version. We propose and test a mediation-in-serial model to identify the relationships between the study variables. The results of the mediation models indicate that, in most cases, the relationship between family dynamics and the substance use variables is meaningfully carried through the proposed mediators, first through negative emotional symptoms, and then through sensation seeking. The meaning of the mediation varies as a function of the facet of family dynamics (conflict or attachment) and the use aspect (age of onset, frequency of use, and use intention). We discuss the implications of these findings for intervention and prevention strategies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. The Long-term Effects of Self-Esteem on Depression: The Roles of Alcohol and Substance Uses during Young Adulthood1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Kiwoong; Yang, Tse-Chuan

    2017-01-01

    Using the National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth 1979, this study examines the roles of alcohol and substance use as mediators in the mechanism between self-esteem and depression, and investigates whether the mechanism works for both men and women. Results demonstrate that alcohol and substance use during young adulthood mediates the effect of self-esteem on depression among men. Furthermore, self-esteem during young adulthood remains a determinant of high depression in middle adulthood. However, we did not find evidence to support that same mechanism among women. Our findings provide insight into how self-esteem affects depression over the transition from young to middle adulthood, and elucidate potential gendered responsivity to low self-esteem. PMID:28936002

  13. Association between alcohol, cannabis, and other illicit substance abuse and risk of developing schizophrenia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, S M; Toftdahl, N G; Nordentoft, M

    2017-01-01

    .04, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.84-6.26]. Cannabis (HR 5.20, 95% CI 4.86-5.57) and alcohol (HR 3.38, 95% CI 3.24-3.53) presented the strongest associations. Abuse of hallucinogens (HR 1.86, 95% CI 1.43-2.41), sedatives (HR 1.68, 95% CI 1.49-1.90), and other substances (HR 2.85, 95% CI 2.58-3.15) also...

  14. Who sells what? Country specific differences in substance availability on the Agora cryptomarket.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Buskirk, Joe; Naicker, Sundresan; Roxburgh, Amanda; Bruno, Raimondo; Burns, Lucinda

    2016-09-01

    To date monitoring of cryptomarkets operating on the dark net has largely focused on market size and substance availability. Less is known of country specific differences in these indicators and how they may corroborate population prevalence estimates for substance use in different countries. All substance listings from the cryptomarket Agora were recorded over seven time points throughout February and March 2015. Agora was chosen due to its size as the second largest cryptomarket operating and the level of detail of information provided in individual substance listings. Data were collated and the number of unique sellers selling each substance by country of origin was analysed. An average of 14,456.7 substance listings were identified across sampled days from 868.7 unique sellers. The top five countries by number of listings were the USA, United Kingdom, Australia, China and the Netherlands, collectively accounting for 61.8% of all identified listings and 68% of all unique sellers. Australia was over represented in terms of sellers per capita, while China was over represented in new psychoactive substance (NPS) listings. When examined by number of listings per seller, the Netherlands and China stood out as particularly large, likely due to these countries' role in the local production of various illicit and new psychoactive substances. Numbers of sellers by country of origin appear to be influenced by several factors. Australia's overrepresentation in sellers per capita may indicate its relative geographical isolation and the potential for profit margins from selling online, while China's overrepresentation in NPS listings may reflect domestic production of these substances. Continued monitoring will provide enhanced understanding of the increasingly complex and globalised nature of illicit drug markets. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Metabolism of the new psychoactive substances N,N-diallyltryptamine (DALT) and 5-methoxy-DALT and their detectability in urine by GC-MS, LC-MSn, and LC-HR-MS-MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michely, Julian A; Helfer, Andreas G; Brandt, Simon D; Meyer, Markus R; Maurer, Hans H

    2015-10-01

    N,N-Diallyltryptamine (DALT) and 5-methoxy-DALT (5-MeO-DALT) are synthetic tryptamine derivatives commonly referred to as so-called new psychoactive substances (NPS). They have psychoactive effects that may be similar to those of other tryptamine derivatives. The objectives of this work were to study the metabolic fate and detectability, in urine, of DALT and 5-MeO-DALT. For metabolism studies, rat urine obtained after high-dose administration was prepared by precipitation and analyzed by liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HR-MS-MS). On the basis of the metabolites identified, several aromatic and aliphatic hydroxylations, N-dealkylation, N-oxidation, and combinations thereof are proposed as the main metabolic pathways for both compounds. O-Demethylation of 5-MeO-DALT was also observed, in addition to extensive glucuronidation or sulfation of both compounds after phase I transformation. The cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes predominantly involved in DALT metabolism were CYP2C19, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4; those mainly involved in 5-MeO-DALT metabolism were CYP1A2, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4. For detectability studies, rat urine was screened by GC-MS, LC-MS(n), and LC-HR-MS-MS after administration of low doses. LC-MS(n) and LC-HR-MS-MS were deemed suitable for monitoring consumption of both compounds. The most abundant targets were a ring hydroxy metabolite of DALT, the N,O-bis-dealkyl metabolite of 5-MeO-DALT, and their glucuronides. GC-MS enabled screening of DALT by use of its main metabolites only.

  16. Development of an enantioseparation method for novel psychoactive drugs by HPLC using a Lux® Cellulose-2 column in polar organic phase mode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taschwer, Magdalena; Grascher, Jörg; Schmid, Martin G

    2017-01-01

    Since the last decade, the hype of the recreational use of novel psychoactive drugs is still on its top in entire Europe. Every year, new derivatives enter the drug market and enlarge the broad spectrum of misused drugs. Many of these compounds contain a stereogenic centre and therefore two enantiomers exist. It is obvious that the pharmacological potency of the isomers differ as it is already known from various pharmaceutical ingredients. Therefore, the development of analytical methods for the chiral separation of new psychoactive substances is of great medical and forensic interest. The aim of this study was to establish an enantioseparation method, which is applicable at equal conditions for different drug compound classes including cathinones, amphetamines, benzofurans, thiophenes, phenidine and phenidate derivatives. A commercially available Lux ® Cellulose-2 column consisting of cellulose tris(3-chloro-4-methylphenylcarbamate) coated on silica gel was found to be appropriate for the chiral separation of the mentioned drug classes. Experiments were performed under isocratic conditions in polar organic phase mode using UV-detection. With a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile:isopropanol:diethylamine:formic acid (100%) (95:5:0.1:0.1) 40 out of 43 psychoactive compounds were successfully baseline or partially separated. 3-Fluoroamphetamine, 4-fluoroamphetamine and 1-(benzofuran-6-yl)-N-ethylpropan-2-amine were not chirally separated. The established method enabled enantioseparation of a broad spectrum of different psychoactive compounds under equal conditions. Forty of forty-three compounds were separated in their enantiomers, thus this method has a wide applicability for the enantioseparation of novel psychoactive drugs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Sexual sensation seeking, co-occurring sex and alcohol use, and sexual risk behavior among adolescents in treatment for substance use problems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oshri, Assaf; Tubman, Jonathan G; Morgan-Lopez, Antonio A; Saavedra, Lissette M; Csizmadia, Annamaria

    2013-01-01

    This study evaluated relations between sexual sensation seeking, co-occurring sex and alcohol use, and sexual risk behaviors (eg, unprotected intercourse and multiple sex partners) among adolescents receiving treatment for substance abuse problems. The ethnically diverse sample included 394 adolescents recruited from outpatient treatment (280 males; Mage  = 16.33 years, SDage  = 1.15). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test direct and indirect paths between sexual sensation seeking and sexual risk behaviors via the frequency of co-occurring sex and alcohol use. Conditional indirect effects by gender were also tested. Analyses identified significant effects of sexual sensation seeking on co-occurring sex and alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors. The path from co-occurring sex and alcohol use to unprotected intercourse was significantly stronger among adolescent girls, suggesting a mediation effect moderated by gender. No gender difference was found for the indirect path from sexual sensation seeking and number of past year sexual partners via co-occurring sex and alcohol use. Selected prevention efforts are needed to promote HIV risk reduction among adolescents in substance abuse treatment. The documented conditional indirect effect for unprotected intercourse suggests that HIV prevention programs should pay special attention to gender-specific patterns of alcohol use and sexual risk behavior when tailoring program content. (Am J Addict 2013; 22:197-205). Copyright © American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.

  18. Policy coherence, integration, and proportionality in tobacco control: Should tobacco sales be limited to government outlets?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Elizabeth A; McDaniel, Patricia A; Hiilamo, Heikki; Malone, Ruth E

    2017-08-01

    Multiple factors, including marijuana decriminalization/legalization, tobacco endgame discourse, and alcohol industry pressures, suggest that the retail regulatory environment for psychoactive or addictive substances is a dynamic one in which new options may be considered. In most countries, the regulation of tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol is neither coherent, nor integrated, nor proportional to the potential harms caused by these substances. We review the possible consequences of restricting tobacco sales to outlets run by government-operated alcohol retail monopolies, as well as the likely obstacles to such a policy. Such a move would allow governments more options for regulating tobacco sales, and increase coherence, integration, and proportionality of substance regulation. It might also serve as an incremental step toward an endgame goal of eliminating sales of commercial combustible tobacco.

  19. Level of risk for alcohol consumption among the drivers of an urban public transportation company in Medellín

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos F. Molina C

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Objective: to study the level of risk for alcohol consumption among drivers from a public transportation company. Methodology: a cross-sectional observational study with a sample of 145 drivers from a transportation company in Medellin, Colombia. A self-survey was used that included socio-demographic data, work organization data, and the audittest to measure the level of risk for alcohol consumption. Results: the socio-demographic and work organization profiles, together with the risk level values are consistent with the findings of previous national and international studies. The audit test results showed that 12.5% of the subjects had a score greater than or equal to 8. This is a global indicator of risky and harmful consumption. Furthermore, the score of 17% of the subjects suggested probable dependence. Conclusions: this study’s findings suggest that further research is required in order to establish the grounds for designing a coordinated proposal integrating the actions of each of the Social Security System’s actors. Such proposal should be based on the policy for decreasing consumption of psychoactive substances in the working population

  20. Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs used by students of health services from a University in Curitiba / Uso de álcool, tabaco e drogas por estudantes da área de saúde de uma Universidade de Curitiba

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nilse Chiapetti

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this research was to investigate the consumption of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs by students of health services from a private university in Curitiba, the state capital of Paraná, Brazil. The sample was composed of 538 students between 18 and 54 years old, taking major degrees in Physical Education, Physiotherapy, Nutrition and Psychology. An anonymous self-completed questionnaire has been used to collect socio-demographic data and to identify patterns of non-medical use of psychoactive drugs, as well as getting information about the history of use of these substances. The results have shown an elevated consumption of alcohol and tobacco, mostly from Physical Education and Psychology majors, which have also stood out as consumers of others substances. An elevated consumption of anabolic steroids by the students of Physical Education and a high consumption of amphetamines in Nutrition and Physiotherapy majors was detected. Concerning the history of consumption, friends and acquaintances have been pointed out as the main inductors for these kinds of substances and as regular company when consuming the drugs, recreation and pleasure have been highlighted as the motives for using the drugs for the first time, and breaking up routines, to enjoy the effects and to reduce anxiety/stress are highlighted as motives to maintain consumption. Around 30% of the students have used one or more substances before attending university.

  1. Use of alcohol and drugs by employees in selected business areas in Norway: a study using oral fluid testing and questionnaires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edvardsen, Hilde Marie Erøy; Moan, Inger Synnøve; Christophersen, Asbjørg S; Gjerde, Hallvard

    2015-01-01

    Alcohol or drug use and associated hangover may reduce workplace safety and productivity and also cause sickness absence. The aims of this study were to examine (i) the use of alcohol and drugs, and (ii) reduced efficiency at work and absence due to such use among employees. Forty-four companies were invited; half of them agreed to participate. Employees filled in a questionnaire and provided a sample of oral fluid, which was analysed for alcohol, 12 psychoactive medicinal drugs and 6 illicit drugs. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. Two thousand four hundred thirty-seven employees in eight business areas agreed to participate (92 % of those invited). By combining questionnaires and oral fluid testing, we found that 5.2 % had used psychoactive medication during the last couple of days, 1.4 % had used illicit drugs, 17.0 % had used alcohol during the last 24 h but only one person (0.04 %) was positive for alcohol in oral fluid. About 25 % reported reduced efficiency at work, and 5 % reported absence from work due to alcohol use during the past 12 months. The use of illicit drugs and binge drinking resulting in reduced efficiency and absence was most common among restaurant and bar workers and more common among men than women, whereas use of psychoactive medication was most common among healthcare, transportation and storage workers. Impairment at work due to alcohol or drugs was rare, whereas reduced efficiency due to drinking was reported by a fairly large proportion. There were marked differences between some business areas, and across gender.

  2. National substance use patterns on Twitter.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsien-Wen Meng

    Full Text Available We examined openly shared substance-related tweets to estimate prevalent sentiment around substance use and identify popular substance use activities. Additionally, we investigated associations between substance-related tweets and business characteristics and demographics at the zip code level.A total of 79,848,992 tweets were collected from 48 states in the continental United States from April 2015-March 2016 through the Twitter API, of which 688,757 were identified as being related to substance use. We implemented a machine learning algorithm (maximum entropy text classifier to estimate sentiment score for each tweet. Zip code level summaries of substance use tweets were created and merged with the 2013 Zip Code Business Patterns and 2010 US Census Data.Quality control analyses with a random subset of tweets yielded excellent agreement rates between computer generated and manually generated labels: 97%, 88%, 86%, 75% for underage engagement in substance use, alcohol, drug, and smoking tweets, respectively. Overall, 34.1% of all substance-related tweets were classified as happy. Alcohol was the most frequently tweeted substance, followed by marijuana. Regression results suggested more convenience stores in a zip code were associated with higher percentages of tweets about alcohol. Larger zip code population size and higher percentages of African Americans and Hispanics were associated with fewer tweets about substance use and underage engagement. Zip code economic disadvantage was associated with fewer alcohol tweets but more drug tweets.The patterns in substance use mentions on Twitter differ by zip code economic and demographic characteristics. Online discussions have great potential to glorify and normalize risky behaviors. Health promotion and underage substance prevention efforts may include interactive social media campaigns to counter the social modeling of risky behaviors.

  3. Alcohol Use Screening

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Depression Screening Substance Abuse Screening Alcohol Use Screening Alcohol Use Screening (AUDIT-C) - Instructions The following questions ... this tool, there is also text-only version . Alcohol Use Screening (AUDIT-C) - Manual Instructions The following ...

  4. Detection of “Bath Salts” and Other Novel Psychoactive Substances in Hair Samples of Ecstasy/MDMA/“Molly” Users

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palamar, Joseph J.; Salomone, Alberto; Vincenti, Marco; Cleland, Charles M.

    2016-01-01

    Background Ecstasy (MDMA) in the US is commonly adulterated with other drugs, but research has not focused on purity of ecstasy since the phenomenon of “Molly” (ecstasy marketed as pure MDMA) arose in the US. Methods We piloted a rapid electronic survey in 2015 to assess use of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) and other drugs among 679 nightclub/festival-attending young adults (age 18–25) in New York City. A quarter (26.1%) of the sample provided a hair sample to be analyzed for the presence of select synthetic cathinones (“bath salts”) and some other NPS. Samples were analyzed using fully validated UHPLC-MS/MS methods. To examine consistency of self-report, analyses focused on the 48 participants with an analyzable hair sample who reported lifetime ecstasy/MDMA/Molly use. Results Half (50.0%) of the hair samples contained MDMA, 47.9% contained butylone, and 10.4% contained methylone. Of those who reported no lifetime use of “bath salts”, stimulant NPS, or unknown pills or powders, about four out of ten (41.2%) tested positive for butylone, methylone, alpha-PVP, 5/6-APB, or 4-FA. Racial minorities were more likely to test positive for butylone or test positive for NPS after reporting no lifetime use. Frequent nightclub/festival attendance was the strongest predictor of testing positive for MDMA, butylone, or methylone. Discussion Results suggest that many ecstasy-using nightclub/festival attendees may be unintentionally using “bath salts” or other NPS. Prevention and harm reduction education is needed for this population and “drug checking” (e.g., pill testing) may be beneficial for those rejecting abstinence. PMID:26883685

  5. Identification of pyrolysis products of the new psychoactive substance 2-amino-1-(4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanone hydrochloride (bk-2C-B) and its iodo analogue bk-2C-I.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Texter, Kelly B; Waymach, Rachel; Kavanagh, Pierce V; O'Brien, John E; Talbot, Brian; Brandt, Simon D; Gardner, Elizabeth A

    2018-01-01

    2-Amino-1-(4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanone hydrochloride (bk-2C-B) has recently emerged as a new psychoactive substance (NPS). It is most commonly consumed orally, although there are indications that it might also be ingested by inhalation or 'smoking'. Information about the stability of bk-2C-B when exposed to heat is unavailable and the potential for pyrolytic degradation and formation of unknown substances available for inhalation prompted an investigation using a simulated 'meth pipe' scenario. Twelve products following pyrolysis of bk-2C-B were detected and verified by organic synthesis of the corresponding standards. In addition, 2-amino-1-(4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanone hydrochloride (bk-2C-I) was characterized for the first time and subjected to pyrolysis as well. Similar products were formed, which indicated that the replacement of the bromo with the iodo substituent did not affect the pyrolysis pattern under the conditions used. Two additional products were detected in the bk-2C-I pyrolates, namely 1-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-ethanone and 1-iodo-4-ethenyl-5-methoxyphenol. The potential ingestion of pyrolysis products with unknown toxicity adds an element of concern. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. A multicenter retrospective survey of poisoning after consumption of products containing novel psychoactive substances from 2013 to 2014 in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamijo, Yoshito; Takai, Michiko; Fujita, Yuji; Sakamoto, Tetsuya

    2016-09-01

    In Japan, fatalities among patients who experienced an acute reaction following self-administration of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) have been more frequently reported since June 2014. This survey aimed to document and analyze trends in NPS consumption in emergency patients. We conducted a multicenter retrospective survey of patients who were transported to emergency facilities after consuming NPS-containing products between January 2013 and December 2014. Letters requesting participation were sent to 467 emergency facilities, and questionnaires were mailed to facilities that agreed to participate. We surveyed 589 patients from 85 (18.2%) facilities. Most patients were male (89.6%) and young (median age, 30 years), and inhaled (88%) NPS contained in herbal products (80.5%). Harmful behavior was observed at the scene of acute reaction, including violence (6.9%), traffic accidents (4.9%), and self-injury or suicidal attempts (1.1%). Other than neuropsychiatric and physical symptoms, many patients also had physical complications such as rhabdomyolysis (17.5%), liver injury (12.4%), acute kidney injury (9%), and physical injury (1.9%). Of the 256 patients (43.5%) admitted to hospitals, 35 (5.9%) were hospitalized for seven or more days. Most patients (93.2%) completely recovered, although a few (1.4%) died. However, synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic cathinones were only detected in the blood of five patients. Consumption of NPS-containing products have been associated with harmful behaviors such as violence and traffic accidents, physical complications (e.g., rhabdomyolysis, liver injury), death, or physical and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Compared to a previous survey (2006-2012), the present survey revealed more severe toxicity.

  7. [Alcohol].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zima, T

    1996-07-14

    Alcohol is one of the most widely used addictive substances. It can be assumed that everybody encounters alcohol--ethanol in various forms and concentrations in the course of their lives. A global and social problem of our civilization is alcohol consumption which has a rising trend. Since 1989 the consumption of alcoholic beverages is rising and the mean annual consumption of concentrated ethanol per head is cea 10 litres. In ethanol abuse the organism is damaged not only by ethanol alone but in particular by substances formed during its metabolism. Its detailed knowledge is essential for the knowledge and investigations of the metabolic and toxic effect of ethanol on the organism. Ingested alcohol is in 90-98% eliminated from the organism by three known metabolic pathways: 1-alcohol dehydrogenase, 2-the microsomal ethanol oxidizing system and 3-catalase. Alcohol is a frequent important risk factor of serious "diseases of civilization" such as IHD, hypertension, osteoporosis, neoplastic diseases. Cirrhosis of the liver and chronic pancreatitis are the well known diseases associated with alcohol ingestion and also their most frequent cause. It is impossible to list all organs and diseases which develop as a result of alcohol consumption. It is important to realize that regular and "relatively" small amounts in the long run damage the organism and may be even fatal.

  8. A review of implicit and explicit substance self-concept as a predictor of alcohol and tobacco use and misuse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindgren, Kristen P; Neighbors, Clayton; Gasser, Melissa L; Ramirez, Jason J; Cvencek, Dario

    2017-05-01

    This paper provides an overview of the self-concept as it relates to substance use. Self-concept has a long history in psychological theory and research; however, substance self-concept (e.g., viewing one's self as a drinker or smoker) is an understudied area of research with the potential to expand existing conceptualizations of substance use, addiction, and prevention and treatment efforts, and should receive greater research attention. First, we review and provide a theoretical framework of substance self-concept that draws from dual process models and distinguishes between implicit and explicit self-concept. Next, we summarize key findings related to substance use in the extant literature, focusing on alcohol and tobacco (smoking). Across both substances, there is converging evidence that substance self-concept is associated with substance use outcomes, including quantity and frequency of use and problems associated with use, and that change in substance self-concept is associated with recovery from substance misuse. Recommendations for the substance self-concept research agenda include routine assessment of substance self-concept, expanded use of implicit measures, investigation of moderators of substance self-concept, and targeting substance self-concept directly in prevention and intervention efforts. Ultimately, we suggest that substance self-concept is a promising, but understudied, construct. Greater research attention to substance self-concept could clarify its potential as an important risk factor for hazardous use and addiction as well as its utility as a prevention and treatment target.

  9. Medical marijuana programs - Why might they matter for public health and why should we better understand their impacts?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Benedikt; Murphy, Yoko; Kurdyak, Paul; Goldner, Elliot; Rehm, Jürgen

    2015-01-01

    Although cannabis is an illegal drug, 'medical marijuana programs' (MMPs) have proliferated (e.g., in Canada and several US states), allowing for legal cannabis use for therapeutic purposes. While both health risks and potential therapeutic benefits for cannabis use have been documented, potential public health impacts of MMPs - also vis-à-vis other psychoactive substance use - remain under-explored. We briefly reviewed the emerging evidence on MMP participants' health status, and specifically other psychoactive substance use behaviors and outcomes. While data are limited in amount and quality, MMP participants report improvements in overall health status, and specifically reductions in levels of risky alcohol, prescription drug and - to some extent - tobacco or other illicit drug use; at the same time, increases in cannabis use and risk/problem patterns may occur. MMP participation may positively impact - for example, by way of possible 'substitution effects' from cannabis use - other psychoactive substance use and risk patterns at a scale relevant for public health, also influenced by the increasing population coverage of MMPs. Yet, net overall MMP-related population health effects need to be more rigorously and comprehensively assessed, including potential increases in cannabis use related risks and harms.

  10. Prevalência de consumo de bebidas alcoólicas e de alcoolismo em uma região metropolitana do Brasil Prevalence of the consumption of alcoholic beverages and of alcoholism in an urban region of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liz Maria de Almeida

    1993-02-01

    Full Text Available Foi realizado Inquérito epidemiológico com o objetivo de estimar o uso de substâncias psicoativas e a prevalência de alcoolismo. Tomou-se como referência a população de maiores de 13 anos de idade de região administrativa da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brasil, da qual se extraiu uma amostra aleatória de 1.459 indivíduos. Os resultados referentes ao uso de bebidas alcoólicas e alcoolismo, identificados através do teste CAGE, mostraram: prevalência de 51% para o consumo de álcool e de 3% para alcoolismo, sendo 4,9% em homens e 1,7% em mulheres; maior proporção de consumidores de álcool e de alcoolistas entre homens de 30 e 49 anos; abstinência mais freqüente entre os viúvos, protestantes e indivíduos com níveis de renda inferiores.An epidemiological survey was carried out for the purpose of estimating the use of psychoactive substances and the prevalence of alcoholism. The target population consisted of people over 13 years old living in a district of Rio de Janeiro city - Brazil. A random sample of 1,459 people was researched. Data on the use of alcohol and on alcoholism are presented. The diagnosis of this latter, based upon the CAGE Test, showed that 51% used alcohol and 3% were suspected of alcoholism: 4.9% and 1.7% among men and women, respectively. The greatest prevalence of the use of alcohol and of alcoholism was found among men between 30 and 49 years of age. Abstinence from alcohol was more frequent among widowed, Evangelical and low-income groups.

  11. Trauma, alexithymia, emotional regulation and dissociation in alcohol use disorder, substance use disorder and polysubstance disorder

    OpenAIRE

    Stark, Claire

    2017-01-01

    Background: Around 33-50% who attend treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) have a history of trauma. Experiencing trauma can lead to psychological disorders, difficulties with emotional regulation and dissociation. SUD and AUD can be chronic, relapsing disorders and understanding what individual factors affect addiction has important implications for treatment. Objective: The systematic review was interested in whether alexithymia affects ...

  12. Peer substance use and homelessness predicting substance abuse from adolescence through early adulthood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tompsett, Carolyn J; Domoff, Sarah E; Toro, Paul A

    2013-06-01

    Adolescents who experience homelessness are at higher risk for abusing substances, and for being exposed to substance-using peers. The current study used a longitudinal design to track substance abuse, affiliation with substance-using peers, and episodes of homelessness among a sample of 223 adolescents who were housed at the baseline data collection and 148 adolescents who were housed at baseline. Participants were interviewed at six waves over 6.5 years, covering an age range from 13 to 25. Many participants experienced a recurrence of homelessness during follow-up, with 64.6 % of the baseline homeless group and 22.6 % of the baseline housed group reporting an additional episode of homelessness. Both alcohol abuse and other drug abuse symptoms showed an increase in adolescence followed by slowing in early adulthood. Recent homelessness and friend alcohol use predicted alcohol abuse symptoms, and the strength of the influence of friend use decreased over time. Recent homelessness and friend drug use predicted other drug abuse symptoms. Duration of the initial episode of adolescent homelessness showed no influence on substance abuse over time, or the effects of other predictors, highlighting the importance of conceptualizing the experience of homelessness as a recent stressor rather than an enduring personal characteristic.

  13. Reliability and Validity of Beliefs about Substance Use (BSU Questionnaire in Alcohol Dependent Patients.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Selçuk ASLAN

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Objective: In this study, it is aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Beliefs About Substance Use Questionnaire (BSU which was originally developed by Wright (1993. Method: Seventy alcohol addicted inpatients, who were admitted to Ankara Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Education and Research Hospital Psychiatry Clinic, 31 healthy volunteers who had never used alcohol and 33 social drinkers were evaluated. For all groups, BSU and Craving Beliefs Questionnaire (CBQ, for the patient groups, Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI, Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment (CIWA, Dysfunctional Attitudes Questionnaire (DAS and Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ were used as the assessment tools. The correlations and differences between the questionnaires were studied. Results: Mean age of the addicted patients, healthy controls and social drinkers were 42,3± 7,0, 33,5± 9,9 and 33,2± 8,9, respectively. In patient group, mean BSU score was 46,4 ± 21,2. For alcohol addicts, internal reliability of BSU was found to be adequate (Cronbach alfa=0.91 and item-total score correlations were between 0.33 and 0.69. Basic component analysis showed one basic factor. A positive correlation has been found between BSU and CBQ, and ATQ scores. No correlations have been found between total and subscale scores of DAS and total scores of CIWA, BAI and BSU. In evaluation of validity, BSU mean scores of alcohol addicts were found to be significantly higher than healthy controls and social drinkers. Conclusion: Our findings support that Turkish version of BSU is an adequate tool that can be used to evaluate alcohol addicted patients` cognitive believes about alcohol use

  14. [Does consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis in adolescents and young adults with cancer affect the use of analgesics during hospitalizations?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertrand, A; Boyle, H; Moreaux, J; Guillot, L; Chvetzoff, G; Charbonnel, J-F; Marec-Berard, P

    2016-04-01

    The specificities of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) aged 15-25 years with cancer are now well recognized. Dedicated care was initiated in 2012 in France under the leadership of the INCa (National Cancer Institute). Research on supportive care and particularly pain management are still rare. This study aimed to evaluate the consumption of toxic substances (tobacco, cannabis, alcohol) in AYAs with cancer as well as its progression during the month following the diagnosis and to analyze its influence on opioid analgesic prescriptions during treatment. This is a prospective study including all new patients aged 15-25 years in two centers between January and June 2013. Data on consumption of psychoactive substances were obtained during an individual interview with a questionnaire. National surveys were used to compare this cohort with the general population. Data on opioid treatments were collected from the computerized prescription software and computerized patient record. Thirty-seven AYAs were eligible and 30 were included; 67% of them were male and the median age was 18.7 years. The questionnaire on tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis consumption at diagnosis was well accepted. Consumption profiles were comparable to the general population. Changes in behavior were observed during the 1st month after diagnosis, with a decrease or cessation of consumption, particularly among young people. This study showed differences in the use and requirements for opioid analgesics during hospitalization according to these consumption data. Prevention and support for AYAs who are regular consumers of toxic substances must be organized during initial care in oncology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. Substance Use Patterns Among Adolescents in Europe: A Latent Class Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Göbel, Kristin; Scheithauer, Herbert; Bräker, Astrid-Britta; Jonkman, Harrie; Soellner, Renate

    2016-07-28

    Several researchers have investigated substance use patterns using a latent class analysis; however, hardly no studies exist on substance use patterns across countries. Adolescent substance use patterns, demographic factors, and international differences in the prevalence of substance use patterns were explored. Data from 25 European countries were used to identify patterns of adolescent (12-16 years, 50.6% female) substance use (N = 33,566). Latent class analysis revealed four substance use classes: nonusers (68%), low-alcohol users (recent use of beer, wine, and alcopops; 16.1%), alcohol users (recent use of alcohol and lifetime use of marijuana; 11.2%), and polysubstance users (recent use of alcohol, marijuana, and other illicit drugs; 4.7%). Results support a general pattern of adolescent substance use across all countries; however, the prevalence rates of use patterns vary for each country. The present research provides insight into substance use patterns across Europe by using a large international adolescent sample, multidimensional indicators and a variety of substances. Substance use patterns are helpful when targeting policy and prevention strategies.

  16. Substance Use and Depression Symptomatology: Measurement Invariance of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II among Non-Users and Frequent-Users of Alcohol, Nicotine and Cannabis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashlee A Moore

    Full Text Available Depression is a highly heterogeneous condition, and identifying how symptoms present in various groups may greatly increase our understanding of its etiology. Importantly, Major Depressive Disorder is strongly linked with Substance Use Disorders, which may ameliorate or exacerbate specific depression symptoms. It is therefore quite plausible that depression may present with different symptom profiles depending on an individual's substance use status. Given these observations, it is important to examine the underlying construct of depression in groups of substance users compared to non-users. In this study we use a non-clinical sample to examine the measurement structure of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II in non-users and frequent-users of various substances. Specifically, measurement invariance was examined across those who do vs. do not use alcohol, nicotine, and cannabis. Results indicate strict factorial invariance across non-users and frequent-users of alcohol and cannabis, and metric invariance across non-users and frequent-users of nicotine. This implies that the factor structure of the BDI-II is similar across all substance use groups.

  17. Substance Use and Depression Symptomatology: Measurement Invariance of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) among Non-Users and Frequent-Users of Alcohol, Nicotine and Cannabis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Ashlee A; Neale, Michael C; Silberg, Judy L; Verhulst, Brad

    2016-01-01

    Depression is a highly heterogeneous condition, and identifying how symptoms present in various groups may greatly increase our understanding of its etiology. Importantly, Major Depressive Disorder is strongly linked with Substance Use Disorders, which may ameliorate or exacerbate specific depression symptoms. It is therefore quite plausible that depression may present with different symptom profiles depending on an individual's substance use status. Given these observations, it is important to examine the underlying construct of depression in groups of substance users compared to non-users. In this study we use a non-clinical sample to examine the measurement structure of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) in non-users and frequent-users of various substances. Specifically, measurement invariance was examined across those who do vs. do not use alcohol, nicotine, and cannabis. Results indicate strict factorial invariance across non-users and frequent-users of alcohol and cannabis, and metric invariance across non-users and frequent-users of nicotine. This implies that the factor structure of the BDI-II is similar across all substance use groups.

  18. Sewage-based epidemiology in monitoring the use of new psychoactive substances: Validation and application of an analytical method using LC-MS/MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinyua, Juliet; Covaci, Adrian; Maho, Walid; McCall, Ann-Kathrin; Neels, Hugo; van Nuijs, Alexander L N

    2015-09-01

    Sewage-based epidemiology (SBE) employs the analysis of sewage to detect and quantify drug use within a community. While SBE has been applied repeatedly for the estimation of classical illicit drugs, only few studies investigated new psychoactive substances (NPS). These compounds mimic effects of illicit drugs by introducing slight modifications to chemical structures of controlled illicit drugs. We describe the optimization, validation, and application of an analytical method using liquid chromatography coupled to positive electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) for the determination of seven NPS in sewage: methoxetamine (MXE), butylone, ethylone, methylone, methiopropamine (MPA), 4-methoxymethamphetamine (PMMA), and 4-methoxyamphetamine (PMA). Sample preparation was performed using solid-phase extraction (SPE) with Oasis MCX cartridges. The LC separation was done with a HILIC (150 x 3 mm, 5 µm) column which ensured good resolution of the analytes with a total run time of 19 min. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was between 0.5 and 5 ng/L for all compounds. The method was validated by evaluating the following parameters: sensitivity, selectivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, recoveries and matrix effects. The method was applied on sewage samples collected from sewage treatment plants in Belgium and Switzerland in which all investigated compounds were detected, except MPA and PMA. Furthermore, a consistent presence of MXE has been observed in most of the sewage samples at levels higher than LLOQ. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Executive control deficits in substance-dependent individuals: a comparison of alcohol, cocaine, and methamphetamine and of men and women

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Plas, E.A.A.; Crone, E.A.; van den Wildenberg, W.P.M.; Tranel, D.; Bechara, A.

    2009-01-01

    Substance dependence is associated with executive function deficits, but the nature of these executive defects and the effect that different drugs and sex have on these defects have not been fully clarified. Therefore, we compared the performance of alcohol- (n = 33; 18 women), cocaine- (n = 27; 14

  20. The Antitumor Activity of Plant-Derived Non-Psychoactive Cannabinoids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McAllister, Sean D; Soroceanu, Liliana; Desprez, Pierre-Yves

    2015-06-01

    As a therapeutic agent, most people are familiar with the palliative effects of the primary psychoactive constituent of Cannabis sativa (CS), Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a molecule active at both the cannabinoid 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid 2 (CB2) receptor subtypes. Through the activation primarily of CB1 receptors in the central nervous system, THC can reduce nausea, emesis and pain in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. During the last decade, however, several studies have now shown that CB1 and CB2 receptor agonists can act as direct antitumor agents in a variety of aggressive cancers. In addition to THC, there are many other cannabinoids found in CS, and a majority produces little to no psychoactivity due to the inability to activate cannabinoid receptors. For example, the second most abundant cannabinoid in CS is the non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD). Using animal models, CBD has been shown to inhibit the progression of many types of cancer including glioblastoma (GBM), breast, lung, prostate and colon cancer. This review will center on mechanisms by which CBD, and other plant-derived cannabinoids inefficient at activating cannabinoid receptors, inhibit tumor cell viability, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and the stem-like potential of cancer cells. We will also discuss the ability of non-psychoactive cannabinoids to induce autophagy and apoptotic-mediated cancer cell death, and enhance the activity of first-line agents commonly used in cancer treatment.

  1. With friends like these…: peer delinquency influences across age cohorts on smoking, alcohol and illegal substance use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferguson, C J; Meehan, D C

    2011-01-01

    Discussions and debate about youth smoking, alcohol use, and illegal substance use (collectively referred to as youth substance use) continue to receive wide attention among researchers, policymakers, and the general public. Previous research has suggested that peer delinquency is a particularly strong correlate of youth substance use. The current study focuses on the influence of delinquent peers on substance use, and how peer delinquency influences change across age cohorts of youth. The current study examines multiple correlates for youth substance use in a sample of 8,256 youth (mean age 14), with the goal of identifying the influence of delinquent peers across age cohorts while controlling for other correlates. Data was collected from the Ohio version of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) developed by the Centers for Disease Control. Results from multiple regression analyses identified peer delinquency as the strongest correlate of youth substance use even when other relevant factors related to family, neighborhood, and media use were controlled. Correlations between peer delinquency and substance use behavior increased across age cohorts and for individuals who first used in middle teen years (13-16) irrespective of current age. Age appears to be a moderating factor regarding the correlation between peer delinquency and youth substance abuse. Primary and secondary prevention and intervention strategies that focus on peers are potentially more likely to reduce youth substance use and improve peer relationships than those focused on other areas such as schools or media. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  2. Long-term moderate alcohol consumption does not exacerbate age-related cognitive decline in healthy, community-dwelling older adults

    OpenAIRE

    Moussa, Malaak N.; Simpson, Sean L.; Mayhugh, Rhiannon E.; Grata, Michelle E.; Burdette, Jonathan H.; Porrino, Linda J.; Laurienti, Paul J.

    2015-01-01

    Recent census data has found that roughly 40% of adults 65 years and older not only consume alcohol but also drink more of it than previous generations. Older drinkers are more vulnerable than younger counterparts to the psychoactive effects of alcohol due to natural biological changes that occur with aging. This study was specifically designed to measure the effect of long-term moderate alcohol consumption on cognitive health in older adult drinkers. An extensive battery of validated tests c...

  3. Towards the use of non-psychoactive cannabinoids for prostate cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Pacher, Pál

    2012-01-01

    The palliative effects of Cannabis sativa (marijuana), and its putative main active ingredient, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which include appetite stimulation, attenuation of nausea and emesis associated with chemo- or radiotherapy, pain relief, mood elevation, and relief from insomnia in cancer patients, are well-known. Because of the adverse psychoactive effects of THC, numerous recent preclinical studies have been focused on investigating other non-psychoactive constituents of C. sativa...

  4. Concoction of harmful substances in homemade alcoholic beverages in rural areas of Mopani district in Limpopo province-RSA: implications for social work practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makhubele, J C

    2013-10-01

    The primary aim of this article is to explore and describe the production and consumption of homemade alcohol and its associated challenges in relation to implications for social work practice. Qualitative, explorative, descriptive, and contextual design was ideal and purposive and snowball sampling methods were used in this research. Data was collected through interviews with brewers and consumers of homemade alcoholic beverages. It was found that foreign substances are put into homemade alcoholic beverages for commercial reasons in an attempt to address social exclusion.

  5. Alcohol and Substance Use in Adolescence and Young Adulthood: The Role of Siblings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kothari, Brianne H.; Sorenson, Paul; Bank, Lew; Snyder, Jim

    2014-01-01

    Interpersonal relationships both within and outside the family have been a central part of alcohol and substance use research. Many studies have focused on the role of parents and peers; fewer studies have focused on siblings. This paper examined siblings' roles in ATOD use patterns and trajectories in the context of familial and non-familial factors across time. First, intraclass correlations (ICCs) were used to examine the degree to which older siblings' ATOD use was associated with younger siblings' ATOD use. Second, hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine the degree to which individual, parent, sibling and peer factors over time were associated with adolescents' and young adults' ATOD use. It should be noted that developmentally proximal predictors were utilized in these models and within-family replication was also examined. Results demonstrate strong associations between older and younger siblings' ATOD use. Moreover, the developmentally proximal sibling variables were predictive of younger sibling ATOD use in the context of other variables across all substances. Study findings are discussed in terms of identifying promising and potentially malleable points of intervention for future investigators. PMID:25484550

  6. Alcohol and Substance Use in Adolescence and Young Adulthood: The Role of Siblings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kothari, Brianne H; Sorenson, Paul; Bank, Lew; Snyder, Jim

    2014-08-08

    Interpersonal relationships both within and outside the family have been a central part of alcohol and substance use research. Many studies have focused on the role of parents and peers; fewer studies have focused on siblings. This paper examined siblings' roles in ATOD use patterns and trajectories in the context of familial and non-familial factors across time. First, intraclass correlations (ICCs) were used to examine the degree to which older siblings' ATOD use was associated with younger siblings' ATOD use. Second, hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine the degree to which individual, parent, sibling and peer factors over time were associated with adolescents' and young adults' ATOD use. It should be noted that developmentally proximal predictors were utilized in these models and within-family replication was also examined. Results demonstrate strong associations between older and younger siblings' ATOD use. Moreover, the developmentally proximal sibling variables were predictive of younger sibling ATOD use in the context of other variables across all substances. Study findings are discussed in terms of identifying promising and potentially malleable points of intervention for future investigators.

  7. Hunting and hallucinogens: The use psychoactive and other plants to improve the hunting ability of dogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Bradley C; Alarcón, Rocío

    2015-08-02

    Cultures throughout the world give plants to their dogs in order to improve hunting success. These practices are best developed in lowland Ecuador and Peru. There is no experimental evidence for the efficacy of these practices nor critical reviews that consider possible pharmacological effects on dogs based on the chemistry of the ethnoverterinary plants. This review has three specific aims: (1) determine what plants the Ecuadorian Shuar and Quichua give to dogs to improve their hunting abilities, (2) determine what plants other cultures give to dogs for the same purpose, and (3) assess the possible pharmacological basis for the use of these plants, particularly the psychoactive ones. We gathered Shuar (Province of Morona-Santiago) and Quichua (Napo and Orellano Provinces) data from our previous publications and field notes. All specimens were vouchered and deposited in QCNE with duplicates sent to NY and MO. Data presented from other cultures derived from published studies on ethnoveterinary medicine. Species names were updated, when necessary, and family assignments follow APG III (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, 2009. An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG III. Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 161, 105-121). Chemical data were found using PubMed and SciFinder. The Shuar and Quichua of Ecuador use at least 22 species for ethnoveterinary purposes, including all but one of their principal hallucinogens. Literature surveys identified 43 species used in other cultures to improve hunting ability. No published studies have examined the pharmacological active of these plant species in dogs. We, thus, combined phytochemical data with the ethnobotanical reports of each plant and then classified each species into a likely pharmacological category: depuratives/deodorant, olfactory sensitizer, ophthalmic, or psychoactive. The use of psychoactive substances to improve a dog׳s hunting ability seems counterintuitive, yet

  8. The 4-H Health Rocks! Program in Florida: Outcomes on Youth Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Substance Abuse Prevention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muthusami Kumaran

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Youth tobacco, alcohol, and other substance abuse is a serious concern in the State of Florida, as well as across the nation. 4-H Health Rocks! is a positive youth development prevention program that utilizes experiential learning methods and youth-adult partnerships. The program and supporting curriculum were designed to foster personal and social skills to better equip adolescents to overcome pressures to participate in substance use. The purpose of this article is to describe the implementation of Health Rocks! in Florida and program evaluation including its impact on participants’ drug knowledge, drug beliefs and attitudes, and drug resistance skills. Program evaluation indicates that 4-H Health Rocks! resulted in statistically significant improvement in each of these categories for hundreds of youth reached in 2009-2012. The importance of program components in preventing and influencing adolescent substance abuse are discussed.

  9. Changes in the pattern of substance abuse after the onset of psychosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaiser, Roland; Löhrer, Frank; Morgan, Vera; Hambrecht, Martin

    2005-06-01

    The aim of this study was to examine early signs of psychosis in patients suffering from both drug dependence and schizophrenia, compared to a control group of drug-addicted patients without a comorbid psychotic disorder, and to assess whether the presence of these signs was related to changes in the pattern of substance abuse. In a rehabilitation hospital for young addicts, 32 patients with a comorbid diagnosis of schizophrenia and 30 patients without the diagnosis of a psychotic disorder, were assessed using the Interview for the Retrospective Assessment of the Onset of Schizophrenia. Information relating to 64 signs of early psychosis was collected from every patient. From the 64 signs, five groups of symptoms were defined: non-specific and precursor symptoms; non-specific and depressive symptoms; negative symptoms; positive symptoms; and impaired social adjustment. The semiquantitative pattern of substance abuse for each 1-year interval over the previous 10 years was investigated using the categories of chapter F1 of ICD-10 and including an additional category "biological drugs". The relationship between the pattern of substance abuse and the presence of early signs was assessed using anova and non-parametric statistical methods. The results indicate that the defined pathological symptomatology greatly influences the pattern of consumption of psychoactive substances in both the psychosis group and the control group. The group factor exerted the greatest influence within the categories "biological drugs" and "other stimulants", where the "psychosis and addiction group" consumed significantly more than the control group. There is a subgroup of non-psychotic addicted patients whose pattern of psychoactive substance abuse is similar to that found in addicted patients suffering from schizophrenia. It may be helpful to systematically identify this subgroup with regard to possible therapeutic implications, particularly with regard to possible pharmacological treatment

  10. Intimate partner violence trends in Brazil: data from two waves of the Brazilian National Alcohol and Drugs Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ally, Elizabeth Z; Laranjeira, Ronaldo; Viana, Maria C; Pinsky, Ilana; Caetano, Raul; Mitsuhiro, Sandro; Madruga, Clarice S

    2016-01-01

    To compare intimate partner violence (IPV) prevalence rates in 2006 and 2012 in a nationally representative household sample in Brazil. The associations between IPV and substance use were also investigated. IPV was assessed using the Conflict Tactic Scale-R in two waves (2006/2012) of the Brazilian Alcohol and Drugs Survey. Weighted prevalence rates and adjusted logistic regression models were calculated. Prevalence rates of IPV victimization decreased significantly, especially among women (8.8 to 6.3%). The rates of IPV perpetration also decreased significantly (10.6 to 8.4% for the overall sample and 9.2 to 6.1% in men), as well as the rates of bidirectional violence (by individuals who were simultaneously victims and perpetrators of violence) (3.2 to 2.4% for the overall sample). Alcohol increased the likelihood of being a victim (odds ratio [OR] = 1.6) and perpetrator (OR = 2.4) of IPV. Use of illicit drugs increased up to 4.5 times the likelihood of being a perpetrator. In spite of the significant reduction in most types of IPV between 2006 and 2012, violence perpetrated by women was not significantly reduced, and the current national rates are still high. Further, this study suggests that use of alcohol and other psychoactive drugs plays a major role in IPV. Prevention initiatives must take drug misuse into consideration.

  11. Intimate partner violence trends in Brazil: data from two waves of the Brazilian National Alcohol and Drugs Survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth Z. Ally

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To compare intimate partner violence (IPV prevalence rates in 2006 and 2012 in a nationally representative household sample in Brazil. The associations between IPV and substance use were also investigated. Methods: IPV was assessed using the Conflict Tactic Scale-R in two waves (2006/2012 of the Brazilian Alcohol and Drugs Survey. Weighted prevalence rates and adjusted logistic regression models were calculated. Results: Prevalence rates of IPV victimization decreased significantly, especially among women (8.8 to 6.3%. The rates of IPV perpetration also decreased significantly (10.6 to 8.4% for the overall sample and 9.2 to 6.1% in men, as well as the rates of bidirectional violence (by individuals who were simultaneously victims and perpetrators of violence (3.2 to 2.4% for the overall sample. Alcohol increased the likelihood of being a victim (odds ratio [OR] = 1.6 and perpetrator (OR = 2.4 of IPV. Use of illicit drugs increased up to 4.5 times the likelihood of being a perpetrator. Conclusions: In spite of the significant reduction in most types of IPV between 2006 and 2012, violence perpetrated by women was not significantly reduced, and the current national rates are still high. Further, this study suggests that use of alcohol and other psychoactive drugs plays a major role in IPV. Prevention initiatives must take drug misuse into consideration.

  12. Alcohol Advertising

    OpenAIRE

    Trkovská, Jana

    2017-01-01

    The thesis concerns itself with alcohol advertising. Alcohol is the most widespread habit-forming substance, yet its consumption is permitted in most countries all around the world, possibly restricted by the age of consumers only. Drinking alcohol cannot be either regulated or prohibited today. It has become commonplace for the majority of our lives. Being aware of its apparent risks, however, there is an effort to regulate at least alcohol advertising. The main objective of this work was to...

  13. Drugs as instruments: a new framework for non-addictive psychoactive drug use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller, Christian P; Schumann, Gunter

    2011-12-01

    Most people who are regular consumers of psychoactive drugs are not drug addicts, nor will they ever become addicts. In neurobiological theories, non-addictive drug consumption is acknowledged only as a "necessary" prerequisite for addiction, but not as a stable and widespread behavior in its own right. This target article proposes a new neurobiological framework theory for non-addictive psychoactive drug consumption, introducing the concept of "drug instrumentalization." Psychoactive drugs are consumed for their effects on mental states. Humans are able to learn that mental states can be changed on purpose by drugs, in order to facilitate other, non-drug-related behaviors. We discuss specific "instrumentalization goals" and outline neurobiological mechanisms of how major classes of psychoactive drugs change mental states and serve non-drug-related behaviors. We argue that drug instrumentalization behavior may provide a functional adaptation to modern environments based on a historical selection for learning mechanisms that allow the dynamic modification of consummatory behavior. It is assumed that in order to effectively instrumentalize psychoactive drugs, the establishment of and retrieval from a drug memory is required. Here, we propose a new classification of different drug memory subtypes and discuss how they interact during drug instrumentalization learning and retrieval. Understanding the everyday utility and the learning mechanisms of non-addictive psychotropic drug use may help to prevent abuse and the transition to drug addiction in the future.

  14. 5-(2-Aminopropyl)indole (5-IT): a psychoactive substance used for recreational purposes is an inhibitor of human monoamine oxidase (MAO).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herraiz, Tomás; Brandt, Simon D

    2014-01-01

    5-(2-Aminopropyl)indole (5-IT) is a psychoactive compound that has recently been associated with several fatal and non-fatal intoxications in a number of European countries. There are indications that acute effects may include symptoms of monoaminergic (e.g. serotonin) toxicity and one mechanism involved in the increase of serotonin levels includes the inhibition of monoamine oxidase. This study investigated the effect of 5-IT on human MAO-A and -B isozymes using kynuramine as the substrate. Substrate conversion to 4-hydroxyquinoline was monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection. This method was employed to determine the extent of MAO inhibition (IC50 and Ki ) and it was found that 5-IT was a selective, competitive and reversible inhibitor of MAO-A. 5-IT revealed a relatively potent ability to inhibit MAO-A (IC50  =1.6 μM and Ki  =0.25 μM) while MAO-B inhibition was not observed (0-500 μM 5-IT). Under identical experimental conditions, other established inhibitors of MAO-A and antidepressants provided the following IC50 values: clorgyline 16 nM, harmaline 20 nM, toloxatone 6.7 μM and moclobemide >500 μM. These data indicated that 5-IT was less potent than clorgyline and harmaline but more potent than toloxatone and moclobemide under the in-vitro conditions studied. The inhibition of MAO-A suggests that 5-IT by itself or in combination with other substances may be able to potentiate serotonergic/monoaminergic effects and further studies are needed to clarify its relevance to the adverse effects reported for 5-IT. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. 40 CFR 721.4660 - Alcohol, alkali metal salt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Alcohol, alkali metal salt. 721.4660 Section 721.4660 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT SIGNIFICANT NEW USES OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.4660 Alcohol, alkali metal sal...

  16. Medical marijuana programs — Why might they matter for public health and why should we better understand their impacts?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Benedikt; Murphy, Yoko; Kurdyak, Paul; Goldner, Elliot; Rehm, Jürgen

    2015-01-01

    Objective Although cannabis is an illegal drug, ‘medical marijuana programs’ (MMPs) have proliferated (e.g., in Canada and several US states), allowing for legal cannabis use for therapeutic purposes. While both health risks and potential therapeutic benefits for cannabis use have been documented, potential public health impacts of MMPs — also vis-à-vis other psychoactive substance use — remain under-explored. Methods We briefly reviewed the emerging evidence on MMP participants' health status, and specifically other psychoactive substance use behaviors and outcomes. Results While data are limited in amount and quality, MMP participants report improvements in overall health status, and specifically reductions in levels of risky alcohol, prescription drug and — to some extent — tobacco or other illicit drug use; at the same time, increases in cannabis use and risk/problem patterns may occur. Conclusion MMP participation may positively impact — for example, by way of possible ‘substitution effects’ from cannabis use — other psychoactive substance use and risk patterns at a scale relevant for public health, also influenced by the increasing population coverage of MMPs. Yet, net overall MMP-related population health effects need to be more rigorously and comprehensively assessed, including potential increases in cannabis use related risks and harms. PMID:26844050

  17. Playing video games while using or feeling the effects of substances: associations with substance use problems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ream, Geoffrey L; Elliott, Luther C; Dunlap, Eloise

    2011-10-01

    This study tested the hypothesis that playing video games while using or feeling the effects of a substance--referred to herein as "concurrent use"-is related to substance use problems after controlling for substance use frequency, video gaming as an enthusiastic hobby, and demographic factors. Data were drawn from a nationally representative online survey of adult video gamers conducted by Knowledge Networks, valid n = 2,885. Problem video game playing behavior was operationalized using Tejeiro Salguero and Bersabé Morán's 2002 problem video game play (PVP) measure, and measures for substance use problems were taken from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Separate structural equation modeling analyses were conducted for users of caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana. In all four models, concurrent use was directly associated with substance use problems, but not with PVP. Video gaming as an enthusiastic hobby was associated with substance use problems via two indirect paths: through PVP for all substances, and through concurrent use for caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol only. Results illustrate the potential for "drug interaction" between self-reinforcing behaviors and addictive substances, with implications for the development of problem use.

  18. Consumo de sustancias psicoactivas en dos regiones argentinas y su relación con indicadores de pobreza Consumo de substâncias psicoativas em duas regiões argentinas e sua relação com indicadores de pobreza Psychoactive substance use in two regions of Argentina and its relationship to poverty

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carla Ap. Arena Ventura

    2013-05-01

    , em relação ao gênero e as condições de pobreza.Data were analyzed from the National Survey on Substance Use (ENPreCoSP-2.008 in 6,122 cases to estimate the prevalence of psychoactive substance use and assess the association between unmet basic needs (UBN and family income and the consumption of psychoactive substances by individuals 18-34 years of age in 10 provinces in Northern Argentina. The study conducted descriptive statistical analysis and logistic regression. Prevalence of lifetime drug use and use in the previous year and previous month were higher for legal versus illegal substances. Consumption was also higher in males. Poverty indicators were significantly associated with the consumption of legal substances. The findings show differences in consumption of psychoactive substances related to gender and poverty.

  19. Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and its association with substance use and substance use disorders in young men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Estévez, N; Dey, M; Eich-Höchli, D; Foster, S; Gmel, G; Mohler-Kuo, M

    2016-06-01

    Functional and mental health impairments that adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience may be exacerbated by regular substance use and co-morbidity with substance use disorders (SUD). This may be especially true during young adulthood, which represents a critical stage of life associated with increased substance use and associated problems. However, previous studies investigating the association between ADHD and substance use and SUD have demonstrated inconsistent results, probably due to methodological limitations (e.g., small and non-representative samples). Thus, the relationship of ADHD with substance use and related disorders remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between ADHD and both the use of licit and illicit substances and the presence of SUD in a large, representative sample of young men. The sample included 5677 Swiss men (mean age 20 ± 1.23 years) who participated in the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors (C-SURF). ADHD was assessed using the adult ADHD Self Report Screener (ASRS). The association between ADHD and substance use and SUD was assessed for alcohol, nicotine, cannabis and other illicit drugs, while controlling for socio-demographic variables and co-morbid psychiatric disorders (i.e., major depression (MD) and anti-social personality disorder (ASPD)). Men with ADHD were more likely to report having used nicotine, cannabis and other illicit drugs at some time in their life, but not alcohol. ADHD was positively associated with early initiation of alcohol, nicotine and cannabis use, the risky use of these substances, and the presence of alcohol use disorders, and nicotine and cannabis dependence. Additionally, our analyses revealed that these patterns are also highly associated with ASPD. After adjusting for this disorder, the association between ADHD and licit and illicit substance use and the presence of SUDs was reduced, but remained significant. Our findings

  20. Negative attributions towards people with substance use disorders in South Africa: Variation across substances and by gender

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sorsdahl Katherine

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Little research has examined attitudes towards people who use substances in low and middle income countries (LMIC. Therefore, the present study examined the attributions made by the general South African population about people who use substances and whether these attributions differ by the type of substance being used, the gender of the person using the substance, or the characteristics of the person making the attribution. Method A convenience sample of 868 members of the general public was obtained through street-intercept methods. One of 8 vignettes portraying alcohol, cannabis, methamphetamine or heroin, with either a male or female as the protagonist was presented to each respondent. Respondents’ attitudes towards the specific cases were investigated. Results Respondents held equally negative views of the presented substances, with the exception of the cannabis vignette which was considered significantly less “dangerous” than the alcohol vignette. Respondents were more likely to offer “help” to women who use alcohol, but more likely to suggest “coercion into treatment” for men. Individuals who scored higher on the ASSIST were more likely to hold negative attitudes towards substance users and black African respondents were more likely to offer help to individuals who use substances. Conclusion The stigma associated with substance use in South Africa is high and not necessarily dependent on the drug of choice. However, a range of factors, including gender of the substance user, and ethnicity of the rater, may impact on stigma. Interventions designed to strengthen mental health literacy and gender-focused anti-stigma campaigns may have the potential to increase treatment seeking behaviour.