Prevalence of smoking and its association with the use of other drugs among students in the Federal District of Brasília, Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of smoking, as well as to determine the association between smoking and the use of other drugs, among middle and high school students in the Federal District of Brasília, Brazil.


METHODS
Epidemiological study involving a reference population of students in the District. Our sample comprised 2,661 students from 9 to 19 years of age, in all middle and high school grades. All participating students completed a standard questionnaire. Results were analyzed by gender and type of school (public or private).


RESULTS
The prevalence of smoking among students in the District was 10.5%. Smoking was found to be associated with the use of alcohol and other drugs.


CONCLUSIONS
Smoking is a gateway to the use of other drugs.
Rodrigues
Márcia Cardoso
MC
Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital of Brasília, Universidade de Brasília - UnB, University of Brasília - Brasília, Brazil. dramarciacardoso@terra.com.br
Viegas
Carlos Alberto de Assis
CA
Gomes
Emannuel Lucas
EL
Morais
João Paulo Majella de Godoy
JP
Zakir
Juliano Coelho de Oliveira
JC
D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D017149:Private Sector / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017150:Public Sector / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
D013287:Illicit Drugs