title: Perceptions of adolescent students about drugs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the perceptions of adolescent public school students about drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative approach of focus groups with 16 adolescent students. The data collected were analyzed by means of content analysis, leading to the following categories: meaning of drugs; living with drug use; opinions, beliefs and attitudes toward drug use; and preventing drug abuse in adolescence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The adolescent students know about some drugs, and associate their use with delinquent and criminal behavior. The students identified factors that lead to drug abuse, such as easy access, use by family and friends, idleness, dropping out of school and the characteristic vulnerability of adolescence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the results point to the need for educational activities in the context of where the adolescents live, including school, community and family environments, to support and to minimize their vulnerability.
authors: Núcleo de Estudo em Saúde Coletiva, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, BR.
authors: Edson Arantes
authors: EA
authors: Faria Filho
authors: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Faculdade de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, BR.
authors: Pollyanna Siqueira
authors: PS
authors: Queiros
authors: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Faculdade de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, BR.
authors: Marcelo
authors: M
authors: Medeiros
authors: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Faculdade de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, BR.
authors: Claci Fatima Weirich
authors: CF
authors: Rosso
authors: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Faculdade de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, BR.
authors: Márcia Maria
authors: MM
authors: de Souza
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008297:Male; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs