Nonmedical Use Of Prescription Stimulants Research Articles

Measures of stimulant medications: A population-based study in Alberta, Canada

ObjectivesStimulants are a class of drugs approved for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. However, they are also often used “off-label” as adjunct therapies for the treatment of obesity and depression. The objective of this study is to summarize how stimulant use is globally measured in the literature and to explore rates of stimulant use in Alberta, Canada. MethodsA traditional narrative literature review was conducted to summarize global methods of stimulant assessment. Then using definitions guided by the literature and current regulatory bodies in Alberta, we conducted a series of descriptive analyses to assess how frequent stimulant use was in Alberta patients from 2019 to 2021: 1) number of dispenses by year; 2) average days of drug supply; 3) proportion of days covered (PDC); and 4) defined daily dose (DDDs). ResultsIn the literature review, the most frequently used measures of stimulant drug use were trends over time (prevalence), types of drug use, and dispensations of prescriptions. In all, there is a global trend of increased use of stimulants among both adults and children. In Alberta, 173,789 patients were prescribed stimulant medication in 2019–2021, representing approximately 4 % of the entire Alberta population. Overall, 61.1 % were between the ages of 10–34 and 46.8 % were female. The number of dispensations rose from 713,896 in 2019 to 973,930 in 2021 – with up to 43 % being lisdexamfetamine stimulant dispenses. ConclusionsAlthough stimulant use in AB was measured using similar trend estimates as the literature, there is a lack of research to support whether these measures are accurate and effective at the population-level. Future steps to standardize both medical and nonmedical use of prescription stimulants are warranted in efforts to fully quantify both benefits and risks associated with stimulant use.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Prescription Stimulant Use in Adults: A Systematic Review.

Nonmedical prescription stimulant use (NPSU) is an ongoing public health crisis in the United States. There exists, however, a dearth of research investigating specific childhood risk factors that may contribute to this illicit use. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may be a significant risk factor to address in the prevention and treatment of NPSU, as research has provided evidence for increased substance use, potentially including prescription stimulant misuse, among individuals who have experienced trauma. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to gather and synthesize research articles specifically examining the relationship between nonmedical prescription stimulant use in adults and the experience of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Four studies met all inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The results demonstrated that the nonmedical use of prescription stimulants in adults is significantly associated with ACEs, with a higher numerical count of ACEs associated with a greater likelihood of nonmedical prescription stimulant use. Gaps in the literature were identified, specifically noting a lack of information available regarding the relationship between ACEs and NPSU within gender- and racially diverse populations. The findings have implications for informing interventions related to ACEs and the misuse of prescription stimulant medication in adults.

Stigma Related to the Non-Medical Use and Diversion of Prescription Stimulant Drugs: Should We Care

Background Non-medical use (NMU) and diversion of prescription stimulants are prevalent on college campuses. Diversion represents a primary source of acquisition for NMU among young adults. This study examined relationships between stigmatizing beliefs related to NMU and diversion of stimulant medications and engagement in these behaviors, as well as how such perceptions are associated with indicators of psychological distress among those who engage in these behaviors. Methods Young adults (N = 384) were recruited from a large US university to participate in this cross-sectional electronic survey-based study. Relationships between stigma variables and NMU and diversion were assessed. Among those who engage in NMU and diversion, we tested relationships between stigma variables and indicators of psychological distress, using validated instruments. Results Perceived social and personal stigmatic beliefs did not significantly predict NMU. However, perceived social and personal stigma of diversion significantly reduced diversion likelihood. For NMU, associations were found between stigma variables and indicators of psychological distress. Markedly, we found that as stigmatic perceptions of NMU increased, so did depressive, anxiolytic, and suicidal symptomatology among those who engage in NMU. Conclusions Stigmatization does not deter NMU; however, stigmatization is positively associated with psychological harm among those who engage in NMU. Interventions should be developed to reduce stigmatization in order to improve psychological health among those who engage in NMU. Stigmatic perceptions of diversion were not predictive of psychological harm, though they are negatively associated with diversion behavior.

Adolescents’ Use of Medications for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Subsequent Risk of Nonmedical Stimulant Use

PurposeThis national prospective multicohort study examined the relationship between US adolescents’ use of stimulant therapy for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and subsequent risk of nonmedical stimulant use (i.e., nonmedical use of prescription stimulants and cocaine use) during young adulthood, relative to nonstimulant therapy and population controls. MethodsNationally representative multicohort panels of 11,905 US 12th-grade students were surveyed via self-administered questionnaires at baseline (age 18) and followed prospectively over six years into young adulthood (ages 19‒24). ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences between adolescents who used stimulant therapy for ADHD compared to those who used only nonstimulant medications and population controls in their adjusted odds of nonmedical stimulant use incidence or prevalence during young adulthood, after adjusting for baseline covariates. DiscussionThe findings offer preliminary support that adolescents who use prescription stimulant or nonstimulant medications for ADHD when clinically indicated are not at greater risk for nonmedical stimulant use during young adulthood.

Is Early Onset of Nonmedical Prescription Stimulant Use Associated With Cocaine Use During Adolescence? Results From a National Study.

To examine the associations between early onset of nonmedical prescription stimulant use (NPSU) and cocaine use. Nationally representative samples of high school seniors were surveyed annually. Data were collected via self-administered questionnaires in nationally representative public and private schools in the United States (1976-2020) as part of the Monitoring the Future Study. The sample consisted of 45 cohorts of 12th grade students (N = 121 909). The main outcome was lifetime, past-year, and past-month cocaine use. An estimated one in every 10 (10.1%) individuals reported lifetime NPSU while 8.5% reported any cocaine use. The vast majority of youth (87.2%) initiated NPSU before cocaine among those who reported both substances. Cocaine use was most prevalent among youth who reported early onset of NPSU in 8th grade or earlier (51.7%) followed by those who reported later onset of NPSU in 12th grade (24.7%), and those who never initiated NPSU (3.7%). Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that early onset of NPSU had greater adjusted odds of cocaine use compared to those with later onset of NPSU or those who never reported NPSU. Moreover, the adjusted odds of cocaine use were higher for adolescents who initiated NPSU before or after medical use of prescription stimulants compared to those with no history of medical use or NPSU. Similar results were found for lifetime, past-year, and past-month cocaine use as a function of NPSU onset; this association was stronger among more recent cohorts. Early onset of NPSU appears to be a signal of increased risk of cocaine use among US adolescents. NPSU should be included in screening and early prevention strategies among secondary school students. Health professionals, school officials, and families are encouraged to monitor youth for NPSU based on the increased risk of later cocaine use and related consequences.

Nonmedical Use of Prescription Stimulants and Nicotine Among Community College Students

Objective: Despite community colleges accounting for 34% of all undergraduate enrollment, research on substance-use patterns among community college students is limited. Community college students may engage in substance use differently than their 4-year university counterparts due to differences in psychosocial factors and decreased availability of mental health services. The current study aimed to elucidate risk factors underlying non-medical use of prescription simulants (NMUS) and nicotine use by community college students. Methods: A web-based survey was administered to 10 of 13 community colleges within a southeastern state’s Board of Regents school system. The survey included questions related to NMUS, nicotine use, alcohol use, mental health diagnosis, and demographics. Results: Overall, 9% of the participants reported NMUS, and 24.6% used nicotine. Multivariate analysis of variance and χ2 tests revealed group differences among individuals using only nicotine, only NMUS, both nicotine and NMUS, and neither nicotine nor NMUS. Post-hoc 2 × 2 χ2 tests indicated that individuals using both nicotine and NMUS had higher incidence of mental health diagnoses, were more likely to live in urban areas, reported higher weekly alcohol consumption, and were more likely to be male as compared to individuals using neither substance. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms were higher in individuals using only NMUS and both NMUS and nicotine as compared to those using only nicotine or neither substance. Conclusions: These findings provide insight into demographic and psychological variables associated with NMUS and nicotine use among community college students that could be benefitted by greater access to affordable mental health services.

Differing Behaviors Around Adult Nonmedical Use of Prescription Stimulants and Opioids: Latent Class Analysis.

The availability of central nervous system stimulants has risen in recent years, along with increased dispensing of stimulants for treatment of, for example, parent-reported attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and new diagnoses during adulthood. Typologies of drug use, as has been done with opioids, fail to include a sufficient range of behavioral factors to contextualize person-centric circumstances surrounding drug use. Understanding these patterns across drug classes would bring public health and regulatory practices toward precision public health. The objective of this study was to quantitatively delineate the unique behavioral profiles of adults who currently nonmedically use stimulants and opioids using a latent class analysis and to contrast the differences in findings by class. We further evaluated whether the subgroups identified were associated with an increased Drug Abuse Screening Test-10 (DAST-10) score, which is an indicator of average problematic drug use. This study used a national cross-sectional web-based survey, using 3 survey launches from 2019 to 2020 (before the COVID-19 pandemic). Data from adults who reported nonmedical use of prescription stimulants (n=2083) or prescription opioids (n=6127) in the last 12 months were analyzed. A weighted latent class analysis was used to identify the patterns of use. Drug types, motivations, and behaviors were factors in the model, which characterized unique classes of behavior. Five stimulant nonmedical use classes were identified: amphetamine self-medication, network-sourced stimulant for alertness, nonamphetamine performance use, recreational use, and nondiscriminatory behaviors. The drug used nonmedically, acquisition through a friend or family member, and use to get high were strong differentiators among the stimulant classes. The latter 4 classes had significantly higher DAST-10 scores than amphetamine self-medication (P<.001). In addition, 4 opioid nonmedical use classes were identified: moderate pain with low mental health burden, high pain with higher mental health burden, risky behaviors with diverse motivations, and nondiscriminatory behaviors. There was a progressive and significant increase in DAST-10 scores across classes (P<.001). The potency of the opioid, pain history, the routes of administration, and psychoactive effect behaviors were strong differentiators among the opioid classes. A more precise understanding of how behaviors tend to co-occur would improve efficacy and efficiency in developing interventions and supporting the overall health of those who use drugs, and it would improve communication with, and connection to, those at risk for severe drug outcomes.

Overcoming defensive responding in the estimation of prevalence of non-medical use of prescription stimulants

BackgroundPrevalence of Non-Medical Use of Prescription Stimulants (NMUPS) is estimated to be high among young adults enrolled in college. However, precise estimation of the prevalence of NMUPS is challenging owing to biases affecting self-report of sensitive and potentially illegal behaviors. ObjectiveThis study aimed to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of NMUPS using the crosswise randomized response technique (CRRT) and compare findings to the traditionally-used direct self-report (DSR) method. MethodsThis study utilized a cross-sectional, randomized experimental design to survey adult undergraduate students at a major southeastern university in the United States. Eligible respondents were randomly assigned to a DSR group or a CRRT group. Those in the DSR group were presented a direct question about NMUPS, but those in the CRRT group were asked to indicate whether their response to the NMUPS question was the ‘same’ or ‘different’ compared to a random non-sensitive question. ResultsPrevalence of NMUPS was found to be 18.6% (95% CI:18.5%–18.7%) in the DSR group and 32.5% (95% CI:32.1%–32.9%; p = 0.003) in the CRRT group. Logistic regression analysis predicting NMUPS in the DSR group showed that it was significantly associated with positive expectancies (OR:3.50; 95% CI:2.44–5.02), negative expectancies (OR:0.49; 95% CI:0.35–0.68), perceived norms (OR:1.71; 95% CI:1.27–2.29), and religious beliefs (OR:0.69; 95% CI:0.52–0.92). ConclusionsThe setting and mechanism of the survey is likely closely related to the validity of prevalence estimation of sensitive behaviors. This study found that prevalence of sensitive behaviors such as NMUPS is significantly higher when respondents are provided increased anonymity.

Prescription Stimulant Medical and Nonmedical Use Among US Secondary School Students, 2005 to 2020

Recent information on the prevalence of prescription stimulant therapy for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and nonmedical use of prescription stimulants (NUPS) at the school-level among US secondary school students is limited. To investigate the school-level prevalence of and association between stimulant therapy for ADHD and NUPS among US secondary school students. This cross-sectional study used survey data collected between 2005 and 2020 as part of the Monitoring the Future study (data collected annually via self-administered survey in schools from independent cohorts). Participants were from a nationally representative sample of 3284 US secondary schools. The mean (SD) response rates were 89.5% (1.3%) for 8th-grade students, 87.4% (1.1%) for 10th-grade students, and 81.5% (1.8%) for 12th-grade students. Statistical analysis was performed from July to September 2022. Past-year NUPS. The 3284 schools contained 231 141 US 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students (111 864 [50.8%, weighted] female; 27 234 [11.8%, weighted] Black, 37 400 [16.2%, weighted] Hispanic, 122 661 [53.1%, weighted] White, 43 846 [19.0%, weighted] other race and ethnicity). Across US secondary schools, the past-year prevalence of NUPS ranged from 0% to more than 25%. The adjusted odds of an individual engaging in past-year NUPS were higher at secondary schools with higher proportions of students who reported stimulant therapy for ADHD, after controlling for other individual-level and school-level covariates. Students attending schools with the highest rates of prescription stimulant therapy for ADHD had approximately 36% increased odds of past-year NUPS compared with students attending schools with no medical use of prescription stimulants (adjusted odds ratio, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.20-1.55). Other significant school-level risk factors included schools in more recent cohorts (2015-2020), schools with higher proportions of parents with higher levels of education, schools located in non-Northeastern regions, schools located in suburban areas, schools with higher proportion of White students, and schools with medium levels of binge drinking. In this cross-sectional study of US secondary schools, the prevalence of past-year NUPS varied widely, highlighting the need for schools to assess their own students rather than relying solely on regional, state, or national results. The study offered new evidence of an association between a greater proportion of the student body that uses stimulant therapy and a greater risk for NUPS in schools. The association between greater school-level stimulant therapy for ADHD and other school-level risk factors suggests valuable targets for monitoring, risk-reduction strategies, and preventive efforts to reduce NUPS.

Motives for nonmedical use of prescription stimulants in community college students

Objective: The present study identified common motives for nonmedical use of prescription stimulants (NMUS) among community college (CC) students and examined behavioral and demographic correlates of certain motives. Participants: The survey was completed by 3,113 CC students (72.4% female; 81.7% White). Methods: Survey results from 10 CCs were evaluated. Results: NMUS was reported by 9% (n = 269) participants. The most common motive for NMUS was to “focus on studies or to improve academic performance” (67.5%) followed by to “have more energy” (52.4%). Females were more likely to report NMUS for weight loss, and males were more likely to report NMUS to experiment. The motive “to feel good or get high” was linked to polysubstance use. Conclusions: CC students report similar motives for NMUS to those commonly endorsed by 4-year university students. These findings may help identify CC students susceptible to risky substance use.

Prevalence and correlates of nonmedical use of prescription stimulants among upper secondary school students in Iceland

The current study examined the prevalence and correlates of nonmedical use of prescription stimulants (NMUPS) among upper secondary school students in Iceland, given a paucity of research conducted beyond the US and among younger student populations. National, cross-sectional data from N = 10,199 upper secondary school students ages 16–20 (49.9% female), collected as part of the larger survey Youth in Iceland 2018, were analyzed. Results revealed a lifetime NMUPS prevalence of 5.6%. Participants with a history of NMUPS were more likely to be male, report lower grades, inattention problems at school, depressive and anxiety symptoms, lower parental monitoring and support, and a lifetime history of other substance use, compared to participants without NMUPS history. Regression analyses demonstrated that when accounting for covariates, inattention problems at school significantly associated with NMUPS. Consistent with prior studies, these findings suggest inattention problems contribute to NMUPS. Despite limitations, these findings may help inform drug use prevention and intervention policy. Longitudinal research is needed to examine directional relationships.

Using the novel functional purchase task to examine prescription stimulant drug effect preferences in college students.

Nonmedical prescription stimulant use (NMPSU) is a rising trend among college-age adults (18-25 years old). Survey research has identified several reasons for use, including enhancing cognitive, athletic, and social performance. Less is known about how relative reinforcing value differs based on the self-reported reasons for use. The commodity purchase task (CPT) is used to assess demand for substances such as alcohol and cigarettes and has been extended for NMPSU among college student users. However, this work has not been replicated for NMPSU or expanded to determine how reason for use affects drug demand. The aim of this study was to develop a novel functional purchase task (FPT) to measure demand for preferred stimulant-like drug effects (e.g., focus, academic achievement, energy). Undergraduate students (n = 116) recruited from two universities who endorsed lifetime NMPSU completed five hypothetical stimulant purchase tasks, one for stimulant medication and four based on their ordinal ranking of eight possible reasons for stimulant use. Results support using a CPT to measure the reinforcing value of prescription stimulants and found demand predicts past year NMPSU, but not other variables associated with use. Furthermore, there are multiple reinforcing functions of NMPSU among college students, and more preferred reasons for use corresponded with higher demand intensity and inelasticity on the FPT at the aggregate level but less so at the individual participant level. These results suggest the need for further work exploring the utility of a functional approach to measure demand as reinforcing value. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

37.4 Substance-Use Pattern Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Clinical Professionals

37.4 Substance-Use Pattern Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Clinical Professionals

37.3 Brief Interventions to Reduce the Nonmedical Use of Prescription Stimulants Among College Students: Project PHARM (Personalized Health Assessment Related to Medications)

Project PHARM (Personalized Health Assessment Related to Medications) is a multicampus, collaborative study addressing the nonmedical use of prescription stimulants. Students from 9 colleges and universities across the United States were recruited to document norms of the nonmedical use of prescription stimulants and to evaluate the efficacy of a web-delivered personalized feedback intervention (PFI) that primarily targeted nonmedical prescription stimulant use (including norms, perceived benefits of nonmedical use, motives for nonmedical use, and alternatives to nonmedical use) yet also addressed alcohol and cannabis use.

Expectation for stimulant type modifies caffeine's effects on mood and cognition among college students.

Caffeine is regularly used by college students to enhance mood and academic performance. Although high doses confer risk for negative consequences, moderate doses of caffeine may lead to acute improvements in mood and cognitive functioning. Notably, the pharmacological effects of caffeine may be enhanced by expectancy effects. College students may also engage in nonmedical prescription stimulant use for similar purposes, as students expect strong cognitive enhancement from prescription stimulants and consider them to be more efficacious than caffeine. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether the pharmacological effects of caffeine on mood/drug effects and cognitive performance are enhanced when expecting a conceivably stronger stimulant (i.e., Adderall) compared to when expecting caffeine. Sixty-five undergraduate students were randomized to condition across two variables: drug ingested (placebo or 200 mg caffeine) and drug expected (caffeine or Adderall). Participants completed self-report measures of mood and drug effects pre- and post-drug, as well as cognitive assessments post-drug. There were significant main effects of drug ingested and drug expected on several post-drug measures. Subjects receiving caffeine reported feeling more high, stimulated, anxious, and motivated than subjects receiving placebo. Further, subjects expecting Adderall reported stronger amphetamine effects and feeling more high, and performed better on a working memory test, than those expecting caffeine. Effects tended to be strongest in participants receiving caffeine and expecting Adderall. Modifying expectancies, in conjunction with the pharmacological properties of caffeine at moderate doses, may be one mechanism by which college students may experience differential effects of caffeine. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Prescription Stimulants in College and Medical Students: A Narrative Review of Misuse, Cognitive Impact, and Adverse Effects

Stimulants are effective in treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Psychiatrist Charles Bradley first made this discovery in 1937 when he found that children treated with amphetamines showed improvements in school performance and behavior. Between 1995 and 2008, stimulants to treat ADHD increased six-fold among American adults and adolescents at an annual rate of 6.5%. Stimulants without a prescription, known as nonmedical use or misuse, have also increased. The highest rates of nonmedical prescription drug misuse in the United States are seen most notably in young adults between 18 and 25 years, based on data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2021. Aside from undergraduate students, nonmedical prescription stimulant use is prevalent among medical students worldwide. A recent literature review reported the utilization of stimulants without a prescription in 970 out of 11,029 medical students. The percentages of medical students across the country misusing stimulants varied from 5.2% to 47.4%. Academic enhancement, reported in 50% to 89% of college students with stimulant misuse, is the most common reason for nonmedical stimulant use. With the increasing use of stimulants among adolescents and adults, it is unclear what long-term outcomes will be since little data are available that describe differences in how side effects are experienced for prescribed and non-prescribed users. The present narrative review focuses on these adverse effects in this population and the reasonings behind misuse and nonmedical use.

Compounding Privilege, Resilience, and Nonmedical Prescription Stimulant Use among College Students

Background: In this study, we examined why non-Hispanic White cisgender men are more likely than other subgroups to misuse prescription stimulants in college. The objective of the current study was to use a strength-based framework to examine intersectional demographic predictors. Methods: We examined gender and race/ethnicity as predictors of nonmedical prescription stimulant use (NPS) among college students. We also investigated resilience as a moderator. This report uses data from an online multisite study conducted at seven universities with 4,764 undergraduate students (70.1% women and 52.0% People of Color). Results: We found that college students who were cisgender men and non-Hispanic White used NPS significantly more than students who identified as another gender and as People of Color. There was also a buffering effect of resilience between race/ethnicity and NPS, such that resilience predicted lower NPS for People of Color, but not non-Hispanic White people 28% of the time. Conclusions: It may be that Students of Color are more resilient than non-Hispanic White students, and this resilience is protective of NPS use in college. Importantly, a compounding-privilege and/or intersectional approach to identity is crucial to fully understanding behavior (in this case NPS) in a diversity of college students; future studies should continue to use and develop such approaches.

Negative Consequences Related to Nonmedical Prescription Stimulant Use: Development and Psychometric Validation of the Prescription Stimulant Consequences Questionnaire

Nonmedical prescription stimulant use (NPS) is prevalent among undergraduates and associated with several negative consequences. However, no validated measures exist assessing NPS-related consequences. The present study aimed to develop and psychometrically validate a Prescription Stimulant Consequences Questionnaire (PSCQ) for use among college students. A multisite sample of college students endorsing NPS ( N = 715, 68.4% female) completed the PSCQ and measures of NPS frequency and correlates of NPS via an online survey. Exploratory factor analysis supported a 27-item measure, with three factors (i.e., Compulsive Behavior, Risky Behaviors, and Physical and Mental Health) and a total score. Each PSCQ factor and total score demonstrated good internal consistency, and were significantly positively associated with all NPS frequency indicators, route of administration, alcohol-related problems, sleep problems, and depressive/anxiety symptoms. Findings demonstrate support for the psychometric validity and reliability of the newly developed PSCQ, which may demonstrate potential as a screening and outcome measure for intervention.

Concerts, bars, parties, and raves: Differential risk for drug use among high school seniors according to venue attendance

Background: Nightlife attendance is an established risk factor for drug use, but studies have not focused on adolescent general population samples or compared risk according to type(s) of venues attended. We examined whether attendance of various types of venues was associated with drug use. Methods: Data were examined from an annual nationally representative survey of high school seniors in the US (2014–2019, N = 11,565). We determined whether past-year attendance of parties, concerts, bars or nightclubs, and raves or dance music events was associated with past-year drug use using mixed-effects logistic regression. Mall and movie attendance were examined as negative controls. Results: Compared to those who reported not attending specific venues, attending parties was associated with higher odds of using alcohol in particular (aOR = 5.03, 95% CI: 3.92–6.44). Attending concerts was associated with higher odds for use of alcohol, cannabis, ecstasy, and nonmedical use of prescription stimulants and opioids. All drugs examined were concentrated among those who attend bars, nightclubs, raves, and dance parties. Rave or dance party attendance was associated with higher odds for use of ecstasy (aOR = 3.71, 95% CI: 2.50–5.50) and methamphetamine (aOR = 4.92, 95% CI: 2.43–9.96) in particular, and bar or nightclub attendance was associated with higher odds of use of cocaine (aOR = 6.49, 95% CI: 4.37–9.63), ecstasy (aOR = 6.49, 95% CI: 4.54–9.27), and methamphetamine (aOR = 5.49, 95% CI: 2.57–11.72) in particular. Attending movies was associated with lower odds for use of cocaine and nonmedical prescription stimulant use. Conclusion: We determined differential risk of drug use depending on types of venues attended by adolescents.

Comparison of non -Prescribed use of Tranquilizer with Stimulants Drugs among Medical Students

Objective: The goal of this study to look at the patterns of drug use among medical students. Methodology: All medical students enrolled in the Bakhtawer Amin Medical &amp; Dental College Multan, from first to fifth year were included in this study. The sample size was calculated using a single population proportion formula. The sample consisted of 200 students drawn from various batches and chosen using a stratified random selection procedure Results: The total study participants were 200 medical students of different years in which 139(70%) were males and 61(30%) were females. The participants having age range 18-25 years and maximum number of students were fall in age group 21-25 [117(58.5%)]. The results of the study showed that 76% used tranquilizer and 68% of the students used Stimulants without prescription as p-value 0.004 showing statistical significant difference in the use of both types of drugs. Student used tranquilizer and stimulants once a month as 32% vs 37% with significant p-value 0.034. Conclusion: The fourth-year students had the highest rate of drug usage. During the evaluation, the majority of students were drug users; there was no sign of physical dependency. The topic of non-prescribed drug usage among medical students is examined in this study. More research is needed to investigate national trends of drug addiction among medical students, as well as to find and reinforce protective variables. Supporting children with a non-prescription usage necessitates the development of strategies. Keywords:Nonmedical prescription drug use; Nonmedical prescription stimulant use; Nonmedical prescription tranquilizer use; Trends.