Assessing substance use among Iranian healthcare students

AbstractAims : The strict measures used to prohibit the sale and use of unlawful substances has not changed the increasing trend of substance use in Iran. The aim of this study is to assess the rate of substance use among Iranian healthcare students. Participants : Students (346) were selected randomly; 43.9% were females and 56.1% were males. Measurements : A confidential questionnaire was distributed, completed by the students and collected in the same session. Findings : Of the participants, 34.7% admitted the use of substances now or in the past: cigarettes (28%) were the most frequently used substance. The other substances used were: alcohol (15%), opium (8.4%), cannabis (4.6%), heroin (0.9%) and LSD (0.6%). Only 6.9% of the students were still using substances regularly: cigarettes (5.5%), alcohol (1.7%), opium (1.4%), cannabis (1.2%), heroin (0.3%) and LSD (0.3%). Some had used or were using more than one substance. Conclusions : Use of substance was significantly related to gender (50% of males and 15.2% of females used substances, and 11.3% of males and 1.4% of females were current regular users). Pleasurable purposes were the most common motivations both for past and current use.