title: Survey of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use in the French army.
abstract: The aim of the current study is to describe the consumption rate of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis in the French Army. A cross-sectional two strata randomized survey was performed between October 2006 and March 2007 using self-report questionnaires (n = 990) to collect individual characteristics, consumption, and addictive behaviors with urinal tests for cannabis (n = 985). The surveyed sample comprised 59% privates, 26% non-commissioned officers, and 6% officers, was predominantly male (89%) and young (median age: 29 years), and had a low level of education (60% attended secondary school). The consumption rate was high: 54.1% were active tobacco smokers, 56.0% were heavy drinkers, 20.5% declared drunkenness more than once per month, 52.6% at least experienced cannabis while 12.3% were occasional users, 8.2% were regular users, and 15.0% displayed multi-risk behaviors. Consumption was higher in the younger age (18 to 25 years) and lower educational group, leading to a high prevalence among privates and suggesting an "army effect." However, large scale behavioral social studies may help distinguish between personal and peer effect among the targeted population.
authors.affiliation: DESP-Sud, IMTSSA, Marseille cedex, France. catherine.marimoutou@neuf.fr
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marimoutou
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Queyriaux
authors.forename: Rémy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verret
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haus-Cheymol
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mayet
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Deparis
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Boutin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002188:Cannabis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D011897:Random Allocation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult