Alcohol, smoke, cannabis, new psychoactive substances, and non-prescribed drugs consumption among school student in an area of Nord-West of Italy.
Alcohol andor substance use disorders are known to be a significant phenomenon in the Western world. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the consumption of alcohol, cigarette smoking, cannabis, new psychoactive substances (NSP) non prescribed drug (NPD) in a student population in the north-west of Italy (metropolitan area of Genoa). Fourteen comprehensive schools in the metropolitan area of Genoa (Italy) have requested to participate in the education for correct lifestyles meetings (from December 16, 2021, to May 30, 2022). Before each meeting, a meeting was held with the reference teachers 3805 students aged 9 to 17 were involved. The group was divided by age group 9-11, 12-13, 14-15 and 16-17 years. Before the lesson, the students were given a questionnaire relating to various topics related to lifestyle or resulting from an incorrect lifestyle (alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, cannabis, NPSNPD, psychological path). The questionnaire was anonymous and was approved by the teachers in the preparation phase of the meeting. Logistic regression analysis found that cannabis use in the age of 14-15 increases the risk of consuming NPDNPD by more than 26 times (odd ratio 26.3012 95% CI 15.9656 to 43.3275 P<0.0001). In the age of 16-17, this risk increases approximately 14 times (odd ratio 14.0625 95% CI 6.1729 to 32.0360 P<0.0001). In the age of 14-15 years, cannabis consumption, alcohol consumption >2 alcoholic units (AUs) on one occasion, NPD increases the probability of the need for a psychological path (cannabis odds ratio 14.0254, 95% CI 10.9-17.9, P<0.0001 alcohol odds ratio 3.68, 95% CI 3-4.4, P<0.0001 NPSNPD odds ratio 20.98, 16.4-38.4, P<0.0001). In the age of 14-15 and 16-17 years, respectively, 53% (95% CI 50-58%) and 68% (95% CI 66-71%) of students declared that they had neither the parents nor the psychologist of having used alcohol andor substances. These data should be useful to policy makers to implement prevention and health promotion policies through teaching (education for correct lifestyles) to be permanently included in school programs and to be recognized in the curricular path.