Uso de drogas por estudantes do ensino médio no interior do Brasil e fatores associados ao uso Drug use by high school students in Brazil´s inland and factors associated with use

The aim of the study was to carry out an epidemiological characterization of drug use in the interior of Brazil and to identify factors associated with it. For this purpose, 1806 high school students from 10 municipalities in the state of Goiás participated of the survey. The results indicate the beginning of the use of alcohol and illicit drugs in the early years of adolescence, influenced mainly by friends and family. There was a greater consumption of drugs, alcohol and tobacco in relation to illicit substances. Protective factors such as adherence to a religion proved to be relative and family situations that involved violence and significant losses were revealed as risk factors. Finally, the epidemiological data collected on drug use, indicate the urgent need to plan and implement a public educational policy for adolescents that is broad enough to address the various facets of legal and illegal drugs.