Trends in Lifetime Cannabis Use among Czech School-aged Children from 2002 to 2014

Trends in the psychosocial characteristics of 11-15-year-olds who still drink, smoke, take drugs and engage in poly-substance use in England

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS

Youth substance use is declining in many high-income countries. As adolescent substance use becomes less common, it may concentrate in higher-risk groups. This paper aims to examine how the psychosocial characteristics of young substance users in England have changed over time.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Annual cross-sectional data from the 2001-2014 Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use Among Young People in England survey are analysed (n = 112 792, age: 11-15). Logistic and Poisson regression analyses are used to test whether the sex, socioeconomic status (SES) and prevalence of truancy and exclusion from school of those who drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, take cannabis, take other drugs and engage in poly-substance use changed across the study period.

RESULTS

Use of all substances decreased and there were shifts in the psychosocial characteristics of young smokers, illicit drug users and poly-substance users. The proportion of current smokers and ever-users of cannabis of low SES and who had been excluded increased significantly between 2001/2003-2014. The proportion of last month drug users who had been excluded from school also increased significantly and there were increases in the proportion of polysubstance-users who had truanted and been excluded. The proportion of low SES alcohol users who had been excluded also increased significantly, but this change was very small. There was no evidence of substance use becoming more or less concentrated in one gender.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

There is some evidence that smoking, illicit drug use and poly-substance use are becoming more concentrated in potentially at risk populations. There is limited evidence of concentration amongst young drinkers.

Changing trends in adolescent alcohol use among Czech school-aged children from 1994 to 2014

Background

For an efficient planning of public health policy, the regular monitoring over health-related behaviors among vulnerable population groups is necessary. The aim of this study is to examine the temporal trends in alcohol use among the Czech adolescent population.

Design and methods

Data from the Health Behaviour in Schoolaged Children (HBSC) project conducted in Czechia from 1994 to 2014 were used. Adolescent alcohol use was assessed via two indicators: i) weekly alcohol use (beer, wine, and/or spirit), ii) repeated lifetime drunkenness (having been drunk on two or more occasions in life). Trends in alcohol use were modelled separately for boys and girls. Binary logistic regression was conducted with survey period as an independent predictor of the alcohol indicator.

Results

There were significant changes in adolescent alcohol use since 1994. Between 1994 and 2010, there was a gradual upward in the prevalence. However, in the recent period of 2014, an unprecedented drop in alcohol use was recorded.

Conclusions

Despite the significant drop in the prevalence of alcohol use among the Czech youth in recent years, alcohol drinking in adolescence remains an important challenge for the national health policy. Further research will show whether these changes in adolescent health-related behavior are of a temporary or a permanent nature.

Legislative Norms to Control Cannabis Use in the Light of Its Prevalence in Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary

OBJECTIVES

Cannabis control legislation ranks among key measures to prevent social-health impacts of its use. The article qualitatively analyses respective legislation in the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary (Visegrad Four, V4) considering level of decriminalisation of cannabis use in relation to current epidemiological situation.

METHODS

Qualitative analysis of the cannabis control legislation in V4 countries from 1995 to 2016 focusing on criminal liability, differentiation of cannabis from other illicit substances, definition of a small amount intended for personal use, sentences for possessing and dealership of the drug. Results: Slovakia, Hungary and Poland share similar restrictive legislative approach throughout the studied period. In the Czech Republic, the situation has been different and since 2010 cannabis has been further decriminalised: possession of defined small amount of drug not being under prosecution and milder sentences for cannabis than for other illicit psychoactive substances.

RESULTS

Slovakia, Hungary and Poland share similar restrictive legislative approach throughout the studied period. In the Czech Republic, the situation has been different and since 2010 cannabis has been further decriminalised: possession of defined small amount of drug not being under prosecution and milder sentences for cannabis than for other illicit psychoactive substances.

CONCLUSION

Although the prevalence of cannabis use among adolescents is the highest in the Czech Republic, partial decriminalisation did not show further increase. Slovakia, Hungary and Poland show different trends in epidemiological situation despite of similar legislative approach. Results indicate that beside legislation other social factors play a role and measures to change attitudes and decrease social tolerance are important.