Abstract
The main aim of this study was to investigate profiles of drug users, with a particular focus on illicit drugs other than cannabis, and to explore the effect of early-onset intensive use (drunkenness, daily smoking, high on cannabis) on profiles of illicit drug use. Baseline data from a representative sample of 5,831 young Swiss men in the ongoing Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors were used. Substance use (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and 15 types of other illicit drug) and age of onset of intensive use were assessed. The Item Response Theory (IRT) and prevalence rates at different ages of onset were used to reveal different profiles of illicit drug use. In addition to cannabis, there were two profiles of other illicit drug use: (a) "softer" drug users (uppers, hallucinogens and inhaled drugs), among which ecstasy had the highest discriminatory potential (IRT slope = 4.68, standard error (SE) = 0.48; p <0.001); and (b) "harder" drug users (heroin, ketamine, gamma-hydroxybutyrate/gamma-hydroxylactone, research chemicals, crystal meth and spice), among which ketamine had the highest discriminatory potential (slope = 4.05; SE = 0.63; p <0.001). Onset of intensive use at the age of 12 years or younger also discriminated between these two profiles. Both the IRT model and the effect of onset of intensive use enabled two groups of illicit drugs to be identified. In particular, very early onset (at 12 years or younger) intensive use of any substance was a marker for later use of the second group of drugs.
Highlights
The stages of involvement in drug use are commonly agreed upon [1,2,3,4,5]
Principal findings and implications The results of the Item Response Theory (IRT) model were in accordance with the results of previous studies: the profiles of drug users went from licit drug users, to cannabis users and to users of harder illicit drugs
This study provides insight into the profiles of drug users, regarding less common illicit drugs
Summary
The sequence goes from the use of licit drugs (alcohol and tobacco) to cannabis use, and the use of other illicit drugs [6–13]. There are many studies on the pathway from licit drug use to cannabis use, and to other illicit drugs, there is not much detailed information about the potential stages of the use of illicit drugs other than cannabis. Studies have reported that heroin use is the final stage of the sequence [8, 16, 17]. The present study provides insight into the profiles of the users of illicit drugs other than cannabis. Studies have tended to look at early-onset use generally, rather than at whether intensive early-onset use (of alcohol, tobacco or cannabis) is associated with later use of illicit drugs other than cannabis. The principal aim was to identify the profiles of users of the most common
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