Comparison of Drug Abuse at Two Music Festivals and the Importance of Health Education

Abstract

Among the countries of the European Union, Romania occupies the fourth place considering the consumption of ethno-botanical drugs with a psychotropic effect. In Targu-Mures town yearly it is organized the festival called “Peninsula Music Festival” where we examined the drug usage habits of young participants by applying a questionnaire. The data were compared with some data obtained at Sziget Festival (Budapest). It was concluded that a high number of participants tried out ethno-botanical drugs and cannabis derivatives, followed by the abuse of medicine with alcohol and amphetamines. The number of cannabis derivative consumers has been growing since 2002 and the number of ethno-botanical drug users increased suddenly since 2009. The practical use of the survey results contribute to underline the importance of the development of health education programs, drug- prevention strategies. The main goals are: 1. to maintain the sensitivity of the society, of local communities which should improve their problem-solving skills concerning the suppression of the drug-problem (community, cooperation); 2. to provide possibilities for the youth to become capable to form a productive lifestyle and to refuse drugs; 3. to help individuals and families who get in contact with drugs and those who fight with drug problems (social work, curing and rehabilitation); 4. to reduce the possibility of accessing drugs (cigarettes, alcohol, ethno botanicals and other psychoactive substances).