The prevalence and risk factors of psychoactive substance use among high school students in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, 1996-2019

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the trends of prevalence of psychoactive substance use and risk factors among the high school students in the TRNC between 1996 and 2019. Methods: The present study was examined by comparing with the data of studies conducted with similer questionnaire and method in 1996 (2215), 1999 (641), 2004 (2267), 2011 (2114), 2015 (2079) and 2019 (1633) among 11th grade students in TRNC. Results: It has been determined that lifelong smoking rate has been increasing and alcohol use rate has been deacreasing trend in recent years. It was found that sedative-hypnotic drugs and volatile substances among other psychoactive drugs and cannabis and synthetic cannabinoid is the most commonly used illegal drugs. Gender, academic failure, smoking and alcohol use and drunken experience were found risk factors of illicit drug use. Conclusion: It has been determined that importance should be given to cigarette, alcohol, cannabis and synthetic cannabinoid use in psychoactive substance use prevention programs for TRNC high school students. [Anadolu Psikiyatri Derg 2019; 20(0.200): 38-41]