Most Often, Students Start Using Drugs at the Age of 16-18 Years

Society | June 26, 2019, Wednesday // 11:24
Bulgaria: Most Often, Students Start Using Drugs at the Age of 16-18 Years

June 26th is the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2019. On June 26th, 1988, the United Nations Day for the Fight Against Drug Addiction was celebrated for the first time. The date was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1987. They decided to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.On this day, all people around the world can express their empathy and active stance in the fight against the spread of drug addiction.

According to a study by The National Center for Drug Addictions (NCDA) every fourth student (25.2%) have used a drug in his life. The largest proportion of them consumed marihuana (22.9%), hashish (7.4%), amphetamines (4.8%), cocaine (4.1%), ecstasy (3.3%), methamphetamines (2.7%), synthetic cannabinoids (2.2%), and a combination of two or more substances (2.1%). 12.3% of students reported having used a drug 12 months before the study, - marihuana (10.7%), hashish (2.7%), amphetamines (2.1% ) and cocaine (2.0%).

During the last 30 days before the survey, the proportion of drug users was 6.3%, with the largest proportion of students reporting marihuana (5.5%) and hashish (1.2%), as well as synthetic cannabinoids (0.7%), cocaine (0.6%), amphetamines (0.6%) and ecstasy (0.5%).

The highest percentage of respondents reported that for the past 30 days they used cannabis (0.9%) or synthetic cannabinoids (0.2%), methamphetamines (0.2%) and ecstasy (0, 2%) daily or almost every day.

Most often, students start using drugs in the age range between 16-18 years, with 11.9% of them reporting that they used cannabis for the first time, 2.8% - amphetamines, 1.9% cocaine, 1 , 6% - ecstasy and 1.5% - methamphetamines.

At an earlier age (13-15 years) when it comes to first-time use of a narcotic substance, the use of cannabis (5.0%) and also of amphetamines (0.5%), synthetic cannabinoids 0.4%), cocaine (0.3%) comes first.

The students’ first use of a narcotic substance most often happened at a party (3.7%), as well as at home with friends, on the street, in a garden, in a park or in a disco.

Only 0.9% of students say they have injected a narcotic substance and 2.8% have driven a vehicle after drug use. 22.9% suggest that they will likely use cannabis in the future, for 6.9% this probability is big. For other substances, the probability of future use is estimated at 16.0%, with 3.1% being large. For 61.1% of the students in the Bulgaria, regular cannabis smoking represents a major health risk, and only 5.1% think there is no risk. 11.1% believe that regularly hookah smoking poses no risk for their health. Only 2.1% of students have determined regular use of cocaine as non-risk. 4.7% accept the use of ecstasy and 1.8% use heroin.

According to 82.0% of the respondents, drug use is a problem for our society, and only 7.4% of the respondents are in the opposite opinion.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

Society » Be a reporter: Write and send your article
Tags: drugs, students, cannabis, ecstasy pills, International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, UN, National Center for Drug Addictions (NCDA)

Advertisement
Advertisement
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria