Changes in perceived risk of different substance use by ranking order of drug attitudes in different ESPAD‐countries

Abstract

Data from the surveys in eight countries of the European Schools Project on Alcohol and other Drugs in the years 1995, 1999, and 2003 were available. Changes over time in the perceptions of the risk of using alcohol, cigarettes, cocaine, marijuana, LSD, amphetamines, ecstasy, and inhalants were assessed. On average the overall proportions of the samples seeing use of these substances as 'very risky' fell between 1995 and 2003 in all eight countries as prevalences rose slightly in most of the countries. However, there was a tendency for the gap to widen over time between the proportions seeing regular use of illicit substances as very risky and the proportions seeing occasional use as very risky. Relative to other substances cigarette smoking and heavy weekend drinking were ranked more risky in 2003 than in 1995.

Identifying drug risk perceptions in Danish youths: Ranking exercises in focus groups

“…However, from an international perspective the perception of ecstasy appears as the most surprising finding in our data material. For instance, Elekes et al (2009) found that in 2003 ecstasy was considered as risky as binge drinking in the Czech Republic due to a decline in the risk perception of this drug. The same trend has been reported for 15-16-year-olds in other European countries as well (Andersson et al 2009).…”

“…In most cases, the ranking itself is the central data from such groups (Barbour, 2007) and rankings of drugs are also used in quantitative studies of perceived risks (Andersson et al, 2009;Elekes et al, 2009). In the present study, however, the ranking is not the only finding.…”

Risk perception and alcohol drinking among young people in seven European countries from 1995 to 2015

“…During this same period the number of students who rated drinking large doses of alcohol on a single occassion as very risky went down. To some extent, this contributed to the general downward trend in the risk assessment of psychoactive substances, while their consumption increased (alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, marijuana, LSD, amphetamine, ecstasy, and inhalants) [29].…”

“…Analiza danych z 35 krajów biorących udział w badaniach ESPAD w latach 1999-2003 wykazała, że im większa konsumpcja alkoholu i konopi, tym rzadziej te substancje są postrzegane jako bardzo szkodliwe [28]. Jednocześnie w tym samym okresie spadała liczba uczniów, którzy oceniali wypijanie jednorazowo dużych dawek alkoholu jako bardzo ryzykowne, co w pewnym stopniu wpisywało się w ogólny, spadkowy trend oceny ryzyka używania substancji psychoaktywnych, przy jednoczesnym wzroście ich konsumpcji (alkohol, tytoń, kokaina, marihuana, LSD, amfetamina, ecstasy, inhalanty) [29].…”