The use of tobacco and cannabis at an international music festival.
BACKGROUND
Music festivals are known to attract a high proportion of drug users.


METHODS
Using a survey of 1,772 visitors at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark, we assessed substance use at the festival, the incidence of use of substances among never-users and the incidence of use among lifetime users who had not used a substance in the past 12 months.


RESULTS
New onset of tobacco use was reported by 9.2% of never-smokers, and new onset of cannabis use was reported by 9.3% of never-smokers of cannabis. Resumption of tobacco use was reported by 24% of past year abstainers, and resumption of cannabis use was reported by 30% of past year abstainers. New onset of other types of substances was reported by less than 0.5% of subjects, but among past year abstainers, 5-10% reported resumption of amphetamine, ketamine, MDMA and cocaine use. New onset smokers of cannabis were significantly younger than never-smokers.


CONCLUSIONS
Music festivals such as the Roskilde Festival may be important arenas for the prevention of onset of tobacco and cannabis use and for a return to substance use.
Hesse
M
M
Aarhus University, Copenhagen, Denmark. mh@crf.au.dk
Tutenges
S
S
Schliewe
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D006306:Health Surveys; D006693:Holidays; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires