Frequency of Substance Abuse Among Adolescents

INTRODUCTION: Drug addiction is one of the most prominent problems in many countries in transition, including Bosnia and Herzegovina. Age limit of drug addiction is shifted to the younger age groups, especially is troubling the increase in number of injection drug users. Our study was aimed to investigate the habits, attitudes and practices related to drug use among young people from the area of Sarajevo city. We can still feel the effects of the war, among which are the most important life without closest relatives, banishment and various types of war and post-war trauma. GOALS: To determine the frequency of substance abuse among adolescents; Identify potentially relevant biological, psychological and socio economic characteristics of the adolescents; To explore adolescents attitudes towards drug use; Examine the general level of knowledge of adolescents about drugs and their effects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted on randomized sample of 502 students in two primary and three secondary schools in Sarajevo and Gracanica. To study used survey method. Survey instrument was a self-made questionnaire with the research variables. The obtained data were processed by a computer and statistically correlated. The study is of combined, retrospective, prospective and transversal type. RESULTS: To the question “How many times have you consumed cannabis in the last 30 days” about 6% of the respondents have tried once or twice, while 1.5% use it daily, ecstasy have tried one or two times 2.25%, while 0.5% have daily use. Based on the obtained results it can be concluded that students at schools in Sarajevo consumed drugs 50% more than the children in Gracanica. Analyzing the age at which the subjects consumed the drug for the first time, we came to the conclusion that in the third year of high school only 8% of adolescents have tried any drugs before they turned 15 years. This percentage among eighth graders is about three times higher. CONCLUSION: Presented research results clearly suggest a strong contamination of the living environment of young people with different types of psychoactive substances. Offer of drugs is extensive and distribution network covers all the places where young people visits, including schools. It is clear that today’s teenagers sooner or later hear about drugs, see, get in touch with a “junkie” and have a chance to take the drugs if they want to. From our research, we found that the following factors: Marital status of parents, employment of parents, the number of family members, type of school and satisfaction with oneself are not crucial for the eventual drug use among young people. While, the biological status of the parents, educational status of parents, financial status of parents, the tendency of parents tobacco and alcohol use, adolescents’ attitude to parents, the harmony of relationships between parents, school performance, positive attitude toward the so-called light drugs, represent significant risk factors for adolescent populations.