title: [Characteristics of the use and abuse of psychoactive substances].
abstract: The aim of the paper was to review the basic characteristics of drug abuse. Our questionnaire research included eighth-grade students of seven primary schools and first/second grade students of nine secondary schools in Kragujevac. In average, every fifth student took part in the investigation. Unfortunately, the research HAVE SHAWN that this phenomenon was wide-spread among adolescents; also, that their environment was well-aware of this but sadly, little was done to prevent the occurrence and spreading of drug abuse. Male adolescents, who usually show greater incidence of alcohol and cigarette consumption, also take some sort of drugs (52.9%) more frequently. Every thirtieth subject (or one student in each class, in average) used a psychoactive substance. The fact that every third participant knew somebody who took drugs implied that the phenomenon was spread among students. Commonly, they started taking drugs at the age of fourteen or fifteen, but every seventh or eighth of them did that so when he/she was about ten years old. It may be concluded, from the presented results, that the phenomenon is widespread, i.e. most frequently polytoxicomania. Also, the parents of the drug abusing students were frequently aware of the fact, but they responded in different ways. Regrettably, every fifth parent was not interested in the situation. Influence of all social subjects is crucial in prevention of this extremely important socio-medical problem, but the role of the family is essential and the hardest. The school and other subjects must also be included.
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Milić
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015022:Yugoslavia / Q000453:epidemiology