Risk factors of early psychoactive substances dependence among youth

The article considers a number of factors that influence the use of psychoactive substances by young people in Russia: psychological, social, economic, medico-biological, spiritual and moral and others. The main reasons for psychoactive substance use among this age group are: neglect by parents, psychoactive substance use by parents and other relatives, abuse by parents and guardians, low family income, conflicts and lack of understanding of the age-specific characteristics of adolescents by parents, low motivation to study, low status among peer groups, youth informal groups. In addition to risk factors, protection factors – circumstances that reduce the likelihood of a person becoming involved with psychoactive substances have also been identified: a strong family, with a healthy and supportive psychological atmosphere, success in educational activities, parental involvement in the life of their children, etc.

Prevalence and Pattern of Psychoactive Substance use among Senior Secondary School Students in Community Secondary School, Umuna, Orlu L.G.A

Psychoactive substance use among Secondary School Students has become an increasing public health problem in many countries. This study assessed the prevalence and patterns of psychoactive substance use among senior secondary school students of community secondary school, Umuna. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study in which a sample size of 231 students was selected using simple random sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was questionnaire and data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and presented using tables. The study revealed that alcohol and tobacco were the most commonly abused substance. It also revealed that more than half (51.1%) of the respondents use substance on a daily basis and smoking and sniffing were the most common patterns used. Factors influencing substance use included; peer group pressure and family background. There is a psychoactive substance. It was recommended that Government should ensure the enforcement of anti-psychoactive substance laws and health workers should be trained on how to identify addicts, prevent, and treat victims of drug abuse.

Psychoactive Substance Use Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults With Visual Impairment

Older adults with visual impairment may be at risk for developing substance use disorder (SUD) as psychoactive substance use is often used to cope with the stressors of vision loss. This study estimates the national prevalence and risk of psychoactive substance use among older adults with visual impairment. We analyzed data of respondents age ≥50 from the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an annual cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized individuals in the U.S. (N=43,886). We estimated and compared prevalence of past-year use of cannabis, cocaine, misuse of prescription opioids, sedatives, stimulants/tranquilizers, alcohol use disorder (AUD), any SUD, and nicotine dependence between adults with visual impairment to those without. Comparisons were conducted using chi-square and we used multivariable generalized linear models using Poisson and log link to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) for adults with visual impairment relative to those without, controlling for demographics and diagnosis of ≥2 chronic diseases. An estimated 6.1% experienced visual impairment. Those with visual impairment had higher prevalence of AUD, nicotine dependence, misuse of prescription opioids, tranquilizers, and stimulants, and SUDs. In adjusted analyses, vision-impaired adults had higher risk of AUD (aPR=1.71, 95% CI: 1.40-2.09), nicotine dependence (aPR =1.53, 95% CI:1.35-1.73), opioid misuse (aPR =1.54, 95% CI:1.26-1.90), and SUD (aPR=1.67, 95% CI:1.40-2.01). Psychoactive substance use adds unique health risks for older adults with vision loss, who may suffer significant psychological stress and loss of independence. Screening for substance use among all older adults with visual impairment should be considered.

The law on psychoactive substances in New Zealand: The end of the regulatory game of cat and mouse

<p>This paper considers the recent global concern of psychoactive substance use alongside New Zealand’s corresponding endeavour to regulate such substances under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2013. It establishes that psychoactive substances pose a risk of harm to individual consumers and to society in general. In light of this risk, it considers whether such harm justifies state intervention, whereby the autonomy of individuals would be limited for the safety of those individuals and the benefit of society. The theories of legal and political philosophers, including Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill, are considered to determine the philosophical basis for such regulation. This paper finds that such state paternalism, as found in the Psychoactive Substances Act, is justified. Having concluded that the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 was insufficient to minimise the risk of harm caused by such substances, it argues in favour of the regulatory scheme established under the Psychoactive Substances Act. It concludes that the Psychoactive Substances Act is a revolutionary and innovative measure that will successfully minimise the harm caused, to individuals and society in general, by such substances.</p>

The law on psychoactive substances in New Zealand: The end of the regulatory game of cat and mouse

<p>This paper considers the recent global concern of psychoactive substance use alongside New Zealand’s corresponding endeavour to regulate such substances under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2013. It establishes that psychoactive substances pose a risk of harm to individual consumers and to society in general. In light of this risk, it considers whether such harm justifies state intervention, whereby the autonomy of individuals would be limited for the safety of those individuals and the benefit of society. The theories of legal and political philosophers, including Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill, are considered to determine the philosophical basis for such regulation. This paper finds that such state paternalism, as found in the Psychoactive Substances Act, is justified. Having concluded that the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 was insufficient to minimise the risk of harm caused by such substances, it argues in favour of the regulatory scheme established under the Psychoactive Substances Act. It concludes that the Psychoactive Substances Act is a revolutionary and innovative measure that will successfully minimise the harm caused, to individuals and society in general, by such substances.</p>

A qualitative study to understand drivers of psychoactive substance use among Nepalese youth

Background Psychoactive substance use among youth is an emerging public health issue in Nepal. This exploratory study aimed to better understand the drivers of psychoactive substance use among Nepalese youth in Rupandehi district of Nepal. Materials and methods This study used a qualitative approach for data collection. Both in-depth interviews (IDI, seven participants) and focus group discussions (FGD, 13 participants) were conducted among study participants who self-reported as psychoactive substance users or had history of psychoactive substance use. Participants for IDI were aged between 11 and 24 years and between 18 and 35 years old for FGDs. Semi-structured interview guides were prepared separately for IDIs and FDGs. Interviews were conducted in Nepali language and were audio recorded, which were there transcribed and translated into English for coding and analyses. In addition, interviews notes were taken by two research assistants. An inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results This study identified a range of drivers of psychoactive substances use among Nepalese youths. Themes included (i) socio-cultural factors, (ii) individual factors, (iii) academic environment, (iv) physical environment and the (v) influence of media. The socio-cultural factors were categorized into sub-themes of family relationships, ethnic identity and psychoactive substance use and lack of social acceptance. Individual factors included peer pressure, stress relief and coping with financial challenges. Accessibility and availability of psychoactive substances in the surrounding environment and lack of monitoring and reinforcement of rules/ law and regulations were other drivers to psychoactive substance use among this Nepalese youth cohort. Conclusion Our study identified several important drivers of psychoactive substance use among youth in the Rupandehi district of Nepal. Future works are anticipated to further explore youth initiation and use of psychoactive substances and support the design of interventions that address these risk factors to reduce and prevent subsequent harms.

LONELINESS AND PREDICTIVE MODELS OF MULTIPLE RISK BEHAVIOR OF ADOLESCENTS IN THE CONTEXT OF ECOSYSTEM METATHEORY AND VIRTUAL INTERNET SPACE

The metatheoretical ecosystem construct requires integrating the virtual dimension of the internet in the assessment of human living space. Objective: The main goal of the present study is to identify possible relationships between loneliness, risk behavior in the use of psychoactive substances of adolescents, based on the ecosystem meta-frame of living space (which also reflects virtual space), as one of the essential factors in the emergence and development of addiction. Based on this, an effort is made to compile predictive models of multiple risk behaviors concerning the use of psychoactive substances. Methods: Loneliness is determined using the OESL questionnaire (Gierveld & Tilburg, 2021). The RSi questionnaire examines risk behavior (Kahan et al., 2021 in press; Lovašová, 2021). Multiple linear regressions construct predictive models, and subcategories are subjected to correlations and parametric tests. At the same time, data on adolescents' loneliness are compared with data on the loneliness of addicted adult respondents and data on abstainers from another research. File: The representative sample consists of 744 respondents in the second and third years of secondary schools in the Slovak Republic, of which 263 are men and 481 women. The research file of addicted respondents consists of 138 respondents (100 men, 38 women), and the research group of abstainers is 94 (58 men, 36 women). Results: Statistically significant gender differences inexperienced social and emotional loneliness are found in adolescents and addicted respondents. For both male and female adolescents, excessive internet use is a significant predictor of psychoactive substance use. The prediction is more robust if, in adolescents, at least one parent suffers or has suffered from some kind of addiction. Conclusions: Aspects of virtual space act as significant risk factors which, together with loneliness, create multiple risk conditions for risk behavior in the field of psychoactive substance use.

Influence of Prevalence of Psychoactive Substance Use in Mexican Municipalities on Early Childhood Development

Children’s early development is influenced by characteristics of the child, family, and environment, including exposure to substance abuse. The aim was to examine the association of early childhood development (ECD) with the prevalence of psychoactive substance use in Mexican municipalities. We obtained ECD data from the 2015 Survey of Boys, Girls, and Women (ENIM, for its Spanish acronym), measured with the ECD Index. The prevalence of psychoactive substance use was estimated at the municipal level, using the 2016 National Survey of Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Use (ENCODAT, for its Spanish acronym). Multilevel logistic models were fitted to evaluate the association between drug use and inadequacies in ECD overall and in four specific ECD domains: socio-emotional, literacy-numeric, learning, and physical. Inadequate ECD was directly associated with illegal drug use (OR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.17). For the specific ECD domains, inadequate socio-emotional development was directly associated with illegal drug use (OR = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.15). These findings suggest that exposure to illegal drug use may influence ECD, and especially can lead to socio-emotional problems, although this cannot be considered the unanimous determinant of the problems presented. The implementation of evidence-based interventions to prevent drug abuse is necessary.