[Multiple psychoactive substance use (alcohol, tobacco and cannabis) in the French general population in 2005]

Abstract

Objective: To quantify the different forms of polydrug use in the French population and the principal factors associated with it.

Methods: Data came from the Baromètre Santé 2005, a general population study. Polydrug use was approached by 2 indicators: regular use of at least 2 products among alcohol, tobacco and cannabis, and the use during the year of at least 2 illegal drugs besides cannabis (not necessarily concomitantly).

Results: Regular use of some combination of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis was reported by 8.3% of the population. Those aged 20-24 years combined tobacco and cannabis most frequently, with 11.6% reporting this joint use. Regular consumption of all 3 products was rare, reported by less than 1% of those aged 15-64 years. It was highest among those aged 20-29 years, but still less than 2% of the age group. The principal combination for those aged 35 years or older was alcohol and tobacco, and those in this group rarely combined cannabis with another substance. There was a strong association between cannabis use and use of other illicit psychoactive substances. Lifetime use of illicit psychoactive substances except for cannabis was reported by 10.0% of the 15-34 year-olds; for use during the previous year, it was 2.3%. The factors associated with these practices were unemployment, male gender, and youth. Postsecondary education appeared to distance young adults from the different forms of polydrug use.

Discussion: Because use of multiple psychoactive substances is often associated with risk-taking or vulnerability, particular attention to these practices is justified. Surveys in the general population do not cover the most vulnerable or most "desocialized" populations and do not allow the most dangerous forms of polydrug use to be described. They supply useful information for assessing the extent of the most common combined uses in the population and their probable health and social repercussions.