The Effects of Early Onset Tranquilizers, Sedatives, and Sleeping Pills Use on Recent Consumption Among Adolescents

Abstract

Background: Adolescents' consumption of tranquilizers, sedatives, and sleeping pills (TSSp) has increased during the last few decades, and TSSp are currently among the substances with the lowest age-ofonset. We characterized current-use patterns of TSSp consumers by age when first taken. Methods: This study used individualized secondary data retrieved from the 2016 Spanish State Survey on Drug Use in Secondary Education (16-18-year-olds), and included all subjects who reported having taken TSSp at any point, but excluded those who had started during the previous year (n ¼ 1502). Logistic regression models were used to obtain adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for associations between early TSSp consumption (<14 years) and current TSSp use patterns, adjusted for sociodemographic factors. Results: About 17.9% of respondents had taken TSSp (average ageof-onset ¼ 13.7) and 45% of these without a prescription. TSSp consumption at <14 years was higher for males and nonrepeaters. Having begun to use TSSp < 14 years was associated with both higher probability of consumption in the last month (aOR ¼ 1.41; 95%CI:1.12-1.77) and daily/almost daily consumption in the last month (aOR ¼ 1.56; 95CI%:1.16-2.08). Conclusions:The results of this study show there is a high proportion of 16 to 18 TSSp student consumers -both prescribed and nonprescribed; it also establishes that early onset-of-use is associated with higher levels of intensive use later on.

Gender Differences in the Co-Use of Tranquilizers, Sedatives, Sleeping Pills and Alcohol among Spanish Adolescents: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

“…However, TSSp&AC is also related to the use of other legal and illicit substances. Moreover, there may be short- and long-term repercussions, such as association with unsafe sex or dangerous driving, violence, and premature death; higher levels of intensive TSSp use in later life [ 15 ]; the exacerbation of the severity and development of concurrent mental disorders; and substance use disorder in adulthood [ 9 ].…”

“…Public health surveillance data from 2016 show that roughly 1.5 million US adolescents reported tranquilizer/sedative use or misuse in the previous year [ 14 ]. Adolescents’ consumption of TSSps has increased during the last few decades, and TSSps are currently among the substances with the lowest age of onset [ 15 ]. In Spain, previous studies reported that TSSp misuse by adolescents in Spain increased significantly between 2004 and 2014 [ 16 , 17 ].…”