An overview of the use of psychoactive substances among students at the University of Lille during the COVID-19 health crisis: Results of the PETRA study

[Nitrous oxide as a party drug]

In recent years, reports of health problems associated with nitrous oxide consumption have significantly increased. In Germany, nitrous oxide (N2O) is easily available in cartridges without legal restrictions. The main reason for its popularity in the party scene are the euphoric, psychedelic effects of the gas. In addition to severe and sometimes irreversible health problems associated with long-term use of nitrous oxide, e.g., anemia and nerve damage, life-threatening or fatal consequences of acute nitrous oxide consumption can also occur: accidents under the influence of nitrous oxide, pneumothorax, pneumopericardium and shock due to an explosive increase in airway pressure when inhaled directly from the cartridge. But the most common cause of severe complications is asphyxia as the gas is usually inhaled pure from large balloons and without oxygen. The resulting hypoxia during use may be perpetuated by the diffusion hypoxia that occurs during the reoxygenation period. Nitrous oxide as a cause in accidental or intoxication events is usually not detectable but can only be identified as a trigger based on the patient's history or the circumstances. Acute medical treatment is symptomatic.

Factors associated with the use of benzodiazepine and opioid prescription drug in the student population: a cross-sectional study

The misuse of benzodiazepines and opioid medications is frequent in students. To improve our understanding of this behavior, we aimed to identify factors associated with separate and concomitant use of these substances. Anonymous self-reported questionnaires were e-mailed to students enrolled at a French university between March and July 2021, covering: sociodemographic characteristics, academics, psychoactive substance use, ADHD symptomatology (adulthood and childhood), and psychiatric/psychological or addiction follow-up. Factors associated with the use of benzodiazepines and opioid medications included female sex (OR = 1.41 [1.08; 1.86]) and OR = 1.38 [1.06; 1.79], respectively), older age (OR = 1.65 [1.04; 2.6] and OR = 2.17 [1.4; 3.36], respectively), current psychiatric/psychological follow-up (OR = 6.53 [5.18; 8.24] and OR= 1.5 [1.12; 2.0], respectively), ADHD symptomatology (OR= 2.33 [1.71;3.16] and OR= 1.61 [1.15; 2.24], respectively), polyconsumption (tobacco use for benzodiazepine users, OR = 1.38 [1.04; 1.82]; alcohol use OR = 1.67 [1.17; 2.39] and tobacco use OR = 1.62 [1.23; 2.14] for opioid users). These factors were even more strongly associated with the concomitant use of benzodiazepines and opioid medications: older age (OR = 3.64 [2.22; 5.99]), female sex (OR = 1.54 [1.1; 2.14]), grade repetition (OR = 1.7 [1.14; 2.54]), psychiatric/psychological follow-up (OR = 4.51 [3.35;6.06]), ADHD symptomatology (OR = 5.3 [3.69; 7.63]), polyconsumption (tobacco use OR = 2.05 [1.39; 3] and cannabis use, OR = 2.07 [1.97; 4.16]. The factors associated with the use of benzodiazepines and prescription opioids identified in this study could lead to the development of targeted prevention methods.

Could psychostimulant drug use among university students be related to ADHD symptoms? A preliminary study

We aimed to explore if psychostimulant use among student could be linked to attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms using a self-administered questionnaire sent by email to French students in 2021. Participants were asked about their psychostimulant use and the presence of ADHD symptoms using the Wender Utah Rating Scale and the Adult Self-Report Scale. Among the 4431 respondents, the prevalence of psychostimulant use was concerning and significantly associated with ADHD symptoms. This association could be related to undiagnosed ADHD or to psychobehavioral impairments induced by psychostimulant use underlining the need of ADHD screening and targeted prevention measures.