Psychoactive substance consumption: A Portuguese cross-sectional study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Increasing consumption of psychoactive substances is a major social concern worldwide. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of psychoactive substances consumption in the Portuguese, lifetime and recently, the main reasons for the consumption and associated factors. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was based on the ASSIST applied to a sample of 385 Portuguese obtained for convenience. It was used descriptive statistics, the qui-square, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests, with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: Alcohol was the most consumed throughout life (86%), followed by xanthines (79%) and tobacco (60%). In the last 3 months, xanthines (49%) were the most consumed daily, followed by tobacco (22%) and alcohol (9%). Socializing was the main reason for consumption of alcohol (67%), tobacco (36%) and cannabis (34%). Anxiolytics have been used to sleep (50%) and xanthines to increase cognitive capacity (35%). Tobacco (p = 0.016), alcohol (p = 0.03) and illicit substances (p < 0.001) were more consumed by men and anxiolytics by women (p = 0.027). Alcohol (p = 0.008), cannabis (p = 0.027), and xanthines (p = 0.009) were mostly consumed by young adults. CONCLUSIONS: The results reveal sporadic and recreational use of illicit substances, and regular use of alcohol, tobacco and xanthines, mostly by young adults and men, and anxiolytics by women. Socializing was the main reason for psychoactive substances consumption.

Detection of Eight Cannabinoids and One Tracer in Wastewater and River Water by SPE-UPLC–ESI-MS/MS

“…Instead, its use increased during the COVID-19 pandemic [5,6]. It remains the most diffused and accessible drug experienced by European citizens [7]; the Portuguese population is no exception [8][9][10]. The same trend is generally applicable for other drugs (i.e., amphetamine, cocaine) and "legal highs" (i.e., new psychoactive substances, synthetic cannabinoids) [11][12][13].…”