scholarly journals Smoking tobacco, use of marijuana and other psychoactive substances by students of Silesian universities

2021 ◽  
pp. 128-141
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Fischer ◽  
Barbara Brodziak-Dopierała
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Tobacco Use ◽  
Tobacco Smoking ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Occasional Smoking

INTRODUCTION. These days, it is observed worldwide that the number of smokers drops, however, use of e-cigarettes and other psychoactive substances becomes more popular. This survey was conducted in the years 2019 to 2020 using a group of 193 people, 124 females and 69 males, at two Silesian universities. AIM. The purpose of this survey was to estimate patterns concerning use of tobacco and psychoactive substances by students. The survey was conducted by a survey including 27 questions. RESULTS. Most of the surveyed persons (78%) were non-smokers. Among active smokers, 30% of them started smoking at the age of 12 to 15, 45% of them at 16 to 18, and 77% smoked first before 18th birthday. Among smoking subjects, 90% smokes up to 5 cigarettes a day. Most subjects replied that “curiosity” was a cause to start smoking. Students often declared so-called “occasional smoking”. Smoking in public bothered most (67%) subjects. Half of subjects declared that they never smoked marijuana. Mostly, students smoking tobacco decided to use marijuana as well. About 6% of subjects used other drugs, aside from marijuana. 3% of subjects tried amphetamine, LSD or ecstasy at least once in life. COCLUSIONS. Tobacco smoking frequency in students of Silesian universities was 22%, that is a level similar to other regions of Poland. Due to variation on the market of psychoactive substances, particularly among young people, continuous surveillance is recommended.

scholarly journals Interventions for pregnant women who use tobacco and other substances: a systematic review protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. e032449
Author(s):  
Melissa A Jackson ◽  
Amanda L Baker ◽  
Kristen L McCarter ◽  
Amanda L Brown ◽  
Gillian S Gould ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Tobacco Use ◽  
Tobacco Smoking ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Systematic Review Protocol ◽  
Smoking During Pregnancy ◽  
Review Protocol

IntroductionThe prevalence of tobacco smoking in pregnancy remains elevated in some disadvantaged populations of women. One group is those who use alcohol and/or other psychoactive substances during pregnancy, with tobacco use prevalence estimates ranging from 71% to 95%. Although effective evidence-based cessation treatments exist, few women with co-occurring substance use problems successfully stop smoking during pregnancy. There is limited information about treatments that specifically target this group and a summary of the available research is required to assist and enhance the development of innovative cessation interventions. This article describes a protocol for a comprehensive review of studies that have trialled behavioural and/or pharmacological tobacco cessation interventions in populations of pregnant women who are nicotine dependent and use alcohol and/or other psychoactive substances.Methods and analysisThe review will undertake literature searches in MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE and ProQuest databases, as well as the grey literature. Studies of any design methodology will be included if they describe changes to tobacco smoking behaviours in quantitative terms. No restriction on year of publication or published language will apply. Participants include pregnant women of any age, who smoke tobacco, who are seeking or having treatment, or in post-treatment recovery for the use of psychoactive substances. Interventions are any psychological, behavioural or pharmacological treatments used to treat tobacco use. Outcome measures are any that quantitatively report abstinence or reductions in participant tobacco consumption. Key details and tobacco-related outcomes from included studies will be extracted and tabulated before being narratively synthesised. The systematic review protocol has been developed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols guidelines.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval is not required. Findings will be disseminated via peer-reviewed literature, conference presentations, media and social media.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018108777

Cannabis Associated “High” Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality: Marijuana Smoke Like Tobacco Smoke? A Déjà Vu/Déjà Vécu Story?

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 870-879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodora A. Manolis ◽  
Antonis A. Manolis ◽  
Antonis S. Manolis
Keyword(s):  
Health Effects ◽  
Tobacco Use ◽  
Tobacco Smoking ◽  
English Literature ◽  
The Body ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Cardiovascular Morbidity And Mortality ◽  
Cannabis Smoking ◽  
Deja Vu ◽  
Déjà Vu

Background: Cannabis use has increased over the past several years as some countries have legalized its use for the treatment of certain medical conditions and/or for recreational use. Thus, concerns have risen about potential adverse health effects. Increasing number of reports have associated cannabis use with serious cardiovascular (CV) complications. Furthermore, there appears to be a likeness in the harmful health effects, especially on the CV and respiratory systems, of cannabis smoking to those of tobacco smoking. Objective: To review the CV effects of cannabis use and compare them with those of tobacco use. Methods: Articles were reviewed that were published in English literature reporting on cannabis and cannabinoid pharmacology and their effects on the CV system and their consequences. Emphasis was also placed on articles reporting on cannabis use in adolescents, exposure to secondhand smoke, its effect on exercise and finally its inter-relationship and similarities with tobacco use. Results: With growing cannabis use, an increasing number of reports have emerged associating marijuana use with serious and life-threatening CV complications, including acute coronary syndromes, potentially lethal cardiac arrhythmias and ischemic strokes. There are certain similarities of the deleterious CV and respiratory effects of cannabis smoking with those of tobacco smoking. Despite the difference in the active ingredients (tetrahydrocannabinol vs. nicotine), each substance produces a plethora of chemicals when smoked and these are largely identical; furthermore, due to different modes of smoking, cannabis chemicals are retained in the body for a longer time. Of course, concomitant tobacco and cannabis smoking is a perplexing factor in isolating damages specifically pertaining to cannabis use, while the health risk is additive. Although the mechanisms producing CV harm may be somewhat different between these two substances, the outcome appears similar, or even worse, as the effects may emerge at a younger age. Conclusion: There is an increasing concern that, apart from the mental health problem with cannabis smoking, societies may be facing another wave of a déjà vu/déjà vécu phenomenon similar to the tobacco smoking story.

Relationship between insomnia and tobacco smoking in alcohol-dependent patients

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S398-S398
Author(s):  
A. Wnorowska ◽  
A. Jakubczyk ◽  
A. Klimkiewicz ◽  
A. Mach ◽  
K. Brower ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tobacco Use ◽  
Tobacco Smoking ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Tobacco Dependence ◽  
Multivariate Regression Analysis ◽  
Brief Symptom Inventory ◽  
Study Group ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Alcohol Dependent

IntroductionInsomnia and tobacco use are frequent and important problems in alcohol-dependent patients. However, the relationship between sleep problems and cigarette smoking was not thoroughly investigated in this population.AimThe purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between tobacco smoking and severity of insomnia in alcohol-dependent patients in treatment. We also aimed at assessing other predictors of insomnia in this population.MethodsThe study group comprised 384 alcohol-dependent patients. Standardized tools were used to assess: tobacco dependence (Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence [FTND]), sleep problems (Athens Insomnia Scale [AIS]), severity of alcohol dependence (Michigan Alcohol Screening Test [MAST]) and drinking quantities before entering treatment (Timeline Follow Back [TFLB]). Other comorbid psychiatric symptoms were assessed using Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and Barratt's Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11).ResultsThe study group included 79.1% of current smokers, 62% of participants reported insomnia (AIS). The mean FTND score was 6.05 ± 2.18. The multivariate regression analysis revealed that the severity of tobacco dependence was significantly associated with the severity of insomnia (FTND, beta = 0.140, P = 0.013). Other factors associated with insomnia that remained significant in multivariate model were severity of psychopathological symptoms (BSI, beta = 0.422, P < 0.0005) and intensity of drinking (TLFB, beta = 0.123, P = 0.034).ConclusionTobacco use may predict severity of insomnia in alcohol-dependent patients. This finding may have important clinical implications and influence strategies applied in treatment of alcohol use disorders.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Exploring the gateway hypothesis of e-cigarettes and tobacco: a prospective replication study among adolescents in the Netherlands and Flanders

2021 ◽  
pp. tobaccocontrol-2021-056528
Author(s):  
Thomas Martinelli ◽  
Math J J M Candel ◽  
Hein de Vries ◽  
Reinskje Talhout ◽  
Vera Knapen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Tobacco Use ◽  
Tobacco Smoking ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Cigarette Use ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
Never Smokers

BackgroundStudies demonstrated that adolescent e-cigarette use is associated with subsequent tobacco smoking, commonly referred to as the gateway effect. However, most studies only investigated gateways from e-cigarettes to tobacco smoking. This study replicates a cornerstone study revealing a positive association between both adolescent e-cigarette use and subsequent tobacco use; and tobacco and subsequent e-cigarette use in the Netherlands and Flanders.DesignThe longitudinal design included baseline (n=2839) and 6-month (n=1276) and 12-month (n=1025) follow-up surveys among a school-based cohort (mean age: 13.62). Ten high schools were recruited as a convenience sample. The analyses involved (1) associations of baseline e-cigarette use and subsequent tobacco smoking among never smokers; (2) associations of e-cigarette use frequency at baseline and tobacco smoking frequency at follow-up; and (3) the association of baseline tobacco smoking and subsequent e-cigarette use among non-users of e-cigarettes.FindingsConsistent with prior findings, baseline e-cigarette use was associated with higher odds of tobacco smoking at 6-month (OR=1.89; 95% CI 1.05 to 3.37) and 12-month (OR=5.63; 95% CI 3.04 to 10.42) follow-ups. More frequent use of e-cigarettes at baseline was associated with more frequent smoking at follow-ups. Baseline tobacco smoking was associated with subsequent e-cigarette use (OR=3.10; 95% CI 1.58 to 6.06 at both follow-ups).ConclusionOur study replicated the positive relation between e-cigarette use and tobacco smoking in both directions for adolescents. This may mean that the gateway works in two directions, that e-cigarette and tobacco use share common risk factors, or that both mechanisms apply.

scholarly journals Use of psychoactive substances by young people reporting suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts in the context of sociodemographic factors

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-31
Author(s):  
Maciej Zygo ◽  
Beata Pawłowska ◽  
Emilia Potembska ◽  
Lucyna Kapka-Skrzypczak
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Suicidal Thoughts

Electronic cigarettes: weighing up the evidence

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 288-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Cope
Keyword(s):  
Smoking Cessation ◽  
Young People ◽  
Replacement Therapy ◽  
Nicotine Replacement Therapy ◽  
Tobacco Smoking ◽  
Electronic Cigarettes ◽  
Potential Harm ◽  
Cautious Approach ◽  
Worrying Trend ◽  
Limited Period

Electronic cigarettes have been evaluated and assessed as a smoking cessation tool; however, as Graham Cope explains, a more cautious approach may be needed and users should be made aware of the potential harm of these devices Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have been evaluated to assess their safety and value as a smoking cessation tool. They were deemed to be a safer alternative to tobacco smoking. The vapour emitted was regarded as harmless and that society's attitudes should change to encourage these devices into everyday use, and therefore the regulations should be relaxed to assist the decline of tobacco smoking. However, a more cautious approach argues that nicotine replacement therapy should be used first, and only after that fails should smoking e-cigarettes, known as vaping, be done at low strength and for a limited period. Users should be made aware that nicotine from e-cigarettes could be harmful and the increasing use of attractive forms of vaping by young people is a worrying trend.

The effectiveness of the prevention of psychoactive substance abuse among adolescents with a mild cognitive impairment. The experiences from “My life, my choice” project

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 79-94
Author(s):  
Bartłomiej Walczak ◽  
Marcin J. Sochocki
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
World Literature ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
High Demand ◽  
Preventive Program ◽  
Current Article ◽  
The Subject ◽  
People With Intellectual Disabilities

The subject of prevention of the use of psychoactive substances by young people with intellectual disabilities is definitely underrepresented, if at all present, both in Polish and world literature. Meanwhile, research shows a high demand for preventive measures in this group. The current article presents the assumptions of the pioneering preventive program “My life, my choice”, addressed to young people with intellectual disabilities and discussion of the results of its evaluation. The analysis focuses in particular on the effectiveness of the actions taken and the perception of individual elements of the program by the recipients. The collected data indicate a significan effectiveness of the program in four of the five areas, as well as the importance of selective preventive interactions.

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