Prevalence of alcohol, tobacco and psychotropic drug use among medical students at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of alcohol, tobacco and psychotropic drug consumption by students of the Medical School of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and to verify aspects related to those addictions. METHODS: This study was carried out with students of all years of the medical course invited to participate anonymously, by answering a self-applied questionnaire which was previously evaluated and adapted to Brazilian reality. It was based upon the World Health Organization's Guidelines for Student Substance Use Survey and included 25 questions about drug addiction. Student's t test and chi-square test were applied to assess differences between the mean and proportions of data. RESULTS: Alcohol and tobacco were the more frequently used by the students, 85.2% and 16.3% respectively. Among psychotropic drugs, marijuana was reported by 16.5% of students, LSD by 6.9%, sedatives by 12%, amphetamines by 7.5% and inhalant substances by 16.8%. Cocaine, crack, opiates, anticholinergics and anabolics consumption were rarely mentioned. CONCLUSION: Alcohol was the drug most used and was related to other drug addictions. Drugs were most frequently used by single, male students, who live alone and do not support themselves.