Recreational drug use: patterns from a South Wales self-report survey

Wadsworth, Emma Jane Kirsty ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8656-5907, Simpson, Sharon Anne, Moss, Sussanna C. and Smith, Andrew Paul ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8805-8028 2004. Recreational drug use: patterns from a South Wales self-report survey. Journal of Psychopharmacology 18 (2) , pp. 228-237. 10.1177/0269881104042627

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Abstract

This study aimed to examine patterns of illicit recreational drug use, alcohol consumption, and smoking in a community-based population sample. A postal questionnaire survey was conducted of people who were selected at random from the Electoral registers of Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil. Twelve percent of respondents reported illicit recreational drug use in the last year, and 7% in the last month. Among respondents aged under 25 years, 34% (39% of males and 31% of females) had used illicit drugs in the last year, and 19% (23% of males and 17% of females) in the last month. Twenty-one percent of respondents smoked (20% of males and 22% of females). Twenty-seven percent of respondents reported drinking more alcohol than currently recommended sensible limits (36% of males and 21% of females). Among respondents aged under 25 years, 53% of men and 38% of women drank over these limits. Illicit drug use was associated with heavy alcohol consumption and, in particular, with smoking. Smoking and heavy alcohol consumption combined was most strongly associated with illicit drug use. Rates of illicit recreational drug use were higher than have previously been reported for Wales. Illicit drug use and smoking varied with age, sex, work status and geographical location, whereas heavy alcohol consumption varied with age, sex and work status, but not geographical location. Both smoking and alcohol consumption were associated with illicit drug use, with smokers who were also heavy drinkers being those most likely to report illicit drug use.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Medicine Psychology Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Uncontrolled Keywords:	alcohol; illicit recreational drugs; smoking
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
ISSN:	0269-8811
Last Modified:	07 Nov 2022 09:13
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/33893

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