Prevalence of substance use among Iranian high school students.
OBJECTIVE
This study assessed the rate of substance use among Iranian high school students.


METHODS
397 high school students (200 girls and 197 boys) were selected randomly and were assessed.


METHODS
A confidential questionnaire was distributed, completed by the students, and collected in the same sessions in 2000.


RESULTS
The mean ages for high school girls and boys were 15.85 and 17.28 years, respectively. Of the subjects, 30.23% reported usage of substance(s) once or more sometime during their lives: cigarettes (25.4%), alcohol (9.6%), opium (3.5%), hashish (2.8%), marijuana (1%), heroin (2%), LSD (0.5%), cocaine (1%), and morphine (0.8%). Only 13.86% of the students were currently using substances: cigarettes (8.3%), heroin (1%), morphine (0.3%), alcohol (4.3%), opium (0.8%), LSD (0.3%), cocaine (0.5%), hashish (0.8%), and marijuana (0.8%). Some used or were using more than one substance.


CONCLUSIONS
Substance use was significantly higher among males than females. Cigarettes, alcohol, and opium were found to be the most prevalent forms of substance use. Seeking pleasure and release of tension were the most common reasons for substance use.
Ahmadi
Jamshid
J
Hafez Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, PO Box 71345-1416, Shiraz, Iran.
Hasani
Mahsa
M
D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*