Toxicological evaluation of alcohol and substance abuse in children and adolescents

Abstract

Unhealthy behaviors such as use of alcohol and drug usually begin during adolescence. Izmir is on transit route for illicit substance due to geographical situation. Children and adolescents are the most important threatened group in terms of alcohol and substance abuse. In this study, it was aimed to investigate alcohol and substance use profile of children and adolescents in Izmir/Turkey with the toxicological analysis results obtained from Addiction Toxicology Laboratory. Urine and blood samples of 4524 cases at and under the age of 18 years coming from various departments to the laboratory in 2015–2016 were analyzed by enzymatic immunoassay. Information and analysis results of the cases were obtained by retrospective analysis of the hospital system. 83,3% of the cases were male and the mean age was 16,69 ± 1,63. Alcohol and/or substance use was determined in 13,2% of the cases. Among the cases with positive results of analysis, cannabis (33%) was mostly detected and was followed by amphetamine type stimulants (ATS, 15%), polysubstance use (15%) and alcohol (13%). While cannabis, polysubstance use and ATS were the most common in male, ethyl alcohol, ATS and benzodiazepine were mostly detected in female. There was a significant increase in the substance use rate in 2016 compared to the previous year. A substance use profile was obtained through drug testing in adolescents who are in the risk group for substance use. In this context, our data will be indicative for the development of new and more effective preventive strategies targeting children and adolescents.