Secular trends in legal and illegal substance use among 16 to 20 year old adolescents in Switzerland.

BACKGROUND: Data targeting trends in legal and illegal substance use by adolescents are scarce. Using the data from two similar large national surveys run in 1993 and 2002, this paper assesses secular trends in rates of substance use among 16-20-year-old Swiss adolescents. METHODS: Self-reported regular use of tobacco, alcohol misuse, regular cannabis use (01 occasion over last 30 days) and lifetime use of psychoactive medication, LSD, ecstasy, cocaine and heroine were assessed through identical questions using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. 9268 (1993) and 7428 (2002) high school students and apprentices were included in the analyses. RESULTS: There is a higher proportion of regular smokers among apprentices than among students (p <0.001). Between 1993 and 2002 the increase in regular tobacco consumption was significant among both female and male apprentices (p <0.001) but not among students. Between 1993 and 2002 alcohol misuse significantly increased in all four groups (p <0.001). It is more prevalent among males than among females (p <0.001) and higher among apprentices than among students (p <0.001). Regular use of cannabis has increased in the four groups (p <0.0001). It is higher among males than among females (p <0.001), while it is largely the same among students and apprentices. While the increase in ecstasy use is highly significant in all four groups (p <0.001), the increase in LSD and cocaine use is significant among apprentices only (p <0.001). Use of LSD, ecstasy and cocaine is more prevalent among males than among females (<0.001) and higher among apprentices than among students (p <0.001). CONCLUSION: The secular increase in psychoactive substance use among older Swiss adolescents calls for the implementation of effective strategies both from individual and public health viewpoints.

Anxiety and severity of illicit substance use in adolescence: Evaluating the mediating role of perceived coping styles

The purpose of this study was to examine whether coping styles (Active coping, Internal coping and Withdrawal coping) mediated the relationships between anxiety and severity of illicit substance use among a sample of 110 Swiss adolescents ages 12-19 (M=16.3, SD=1.66). The current study tested two competing models of anxiety on severity of illicit substance use. In the first model, we tested the direct effect of trait anxiety (STAI-Y anxiety score) on severity of illicit substance use (ADAD drug use severity rating), while in the second models we examined the mediating role of coping styles in the link between trait anxiety and severity of illicit substance use. Path models indicated that the associations between trait anxiety and severity of illicit substance use are partially mediated by active and withdrawal coping styles. Limitations of the findings and implications for prevention of substance use in adolescence are discussed.

Parental substance abuse and accidental death in children.

In this report, the authors present two cases of accidental death in children of addicted parents. In the first case, the child was left unattended at home while the mother went out to buy cocaine. She was arrested and detained with no mention of the unsupervised child. The cause of death in this case was determined to be starvation and dehydration. In the second case, a child mistakenly received a methadone suppository by her father instead of an antipyretic suppository. Toxicological analysis of the femoral blood revealed methadone at a concentration of 1.2 mg/L. The cause of death was determined to be methadone intoxication. The literature is reviewed and discussed. We report these cases to illustrate the risk of harm to children from illicit drugs and prescription medications at home and because there is no mention of accidental death in children following a methadone suppository administration in the current literature.

A Matter of Substance, January 2009.

A publication of the IDPH Division of Behavioral Health to find out what's happening with Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment.

A Matter of Substance, April 2009.

A publication of the IDPH Division of Behavioral Health to find out what's happening with Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment.

A Matter of Substance, July 2009.

A publication of the IDPH Division of Behavioral Health to find out what's happening with Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment.

A Matter of Substance, August 2009.

A publication of the IDPH Division of Behavioral Health to find out what's happening with Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment.

A Matter of Substance, October 2009.

A publication of the IDPH Division of Behavioral Health to find out what's happening with Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment.

A Matter of Substance, September 2009.

A publication of the IDPH Division of Behavioral Health to find out what's happening with Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment.

A Matter of Substance, November 2009.

A publication of the IDPH Division of Behavioral Health to find out what's happening with Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment.

A Matter of Substance, December 2009.

A publication of the IDPH Division of Behavioral Health to find out what's happening with Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment.

A Matter of Substance, January 2010.

A publication of the IDPH Division of Behavioral Health to find out what's happening with Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment.

A Matter of Substance, March 2010.

A publication of the IDPH Division of Behavioral Health to find out what's happening with Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment.

A Matter of Substance, May 2010.

A publication of the IDPH Division of Behavioral Health to find out what's happening with Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment.

A Matter of Substance, June 2010.

A publication of the IDPH Division of Behavioral Health to find out what's happening with Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment.