Trends in substance abuse by teenagers in the Czech Republic

Abstract

Drug Epidemiology Headquarters of the Hygienic Station of the Capital Prague has created a complex drug information system in the Czech Republic. This department collects and analyzes data concerning problem drug users, non-fatal emergencies, and occurence of infectious diseases, and all these surveys are provided on a routine basis. Data are gathered from the national network of treatment and contact centers for drug users, through repeated representative epidemiological surveys, obligatory reports on infectious diseases (hepatitis A, B and C, HIV/AIDS), and a sentinel system of data collection is used for non-fatal emergencies. In 1994, 1997, and 2000, a repeated study concerning trends of substance abuse by teenagers (aged 14 to 19 years of age) from all types of schools and from all regions of the Czech Republic was carried out by this department in order to study changes in substance abuse and teenagers’ opinions related to drugs. In 1994 there were 8334 respondents in the study, in 1997 there were 14,282 respondents, and in 2000 there were 13,018 respondents, which is about 1.5% of the population group of teenagers from 14–19 years old in each year of the study. Recommendations of EMCDDA (European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction in Lisbon, Portugal), a body of European Council, are followed by Drug Epidemiology Headquarters.