title: [Kiken drugs: current status of abuse among youth in the nightlife areas of Tokyo].
abstract: The abuse of "Kiken drugs," including synthetic cannabinoids, is a serious and growing social problem in Japan. Kiken drugs is the general term for novel psychoactive substances that have not been designated as illegal by Japanese law. The aim of this article is to describe the current status of the abuse of Kiken drugs by youth in the nightlife areas of Tokyo. An anonymous field-based survey was conducted using laptop computers at four dance parties in Tokyo, Japan. The questionnaires were completed by 307(44% female, mean age 30.9 years) young adults at the dance parties. Among the survey participants, 24.4% reported Kiken drug use (herbs 22.8%, powders 7.2%, and liquids 3.3%) in their lifetime. The primary reasons for Kiken drug use were peer pressure (37.3%), and avoiding penalties for possession of illegal drugs under Japanese laws (28.0%). In addition, 61.3% reported obtaining Kiken drugs from close friends. Our results clearly suggest that young adults at dance parties have a higher lifetime prevalence of Kiken drug use than the Japanese general population (0.4% reported in 2013). As the social stigma associated with drug use is extremely high in Japan, avoiding illegal drugs prohibited by law by using easily available Kiken drugs may be more socially acceptable among youth in the nightlife areas.
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimane
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014041:Tokyo; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002186:Cannabinoids; D013287:Illicit Drugs