FACTORS RELATED WITH THE USE AND ABUSE OF PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES IN JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH-SCHOOL-STUDENTS IN THE REPUBLIC-OF-MEXICO

This paper analyzes the factors that facilitate or limit the experimen tation and the frequent use of one or more drugs among Mexican high sc hool students. In Mexico, the students using drugs are mainly males (6 3 %) and only 38 % are females. Nevertheless, in some states such as B aja California, Chihuahua, Tamaulipas. Durango, San Luis Potosi, Guana juato, Morelos, Puebla and Quintana Roo, there was no significant gend er difference in the rates of drug users. On the other hand, the older students tended to use psychoactive substances more frequently and ha ve consumed more than one type of drug. This pattern was the same for all states. From the obtained data, a significant relation was observe d between the use of drugs by friends and family members, and the subs equent decision of the students to use them. Among the population usin g drugs, 1.73 % of the parents also used them, while only 0.54 % in th e non user population. This compares to 8.67 % of users vs. 2.06 % of non users, in whom the brothers use some type of psychoactive substanc e; this difference is accentuated even further among the youngsters th at consume only one type of drug (6.5 % of brothers are users) and tho se that consume more than one (14.5 % of brothers are users). The stat es that had the highest rate of drug use by the parents were, Baja Cal ifornia Sur, Morelos and Nayarit. Those with the highest rate of use b y brothers were: Chihuahua, San Luis Potosi and Baja California Sur. T he results demonstrate that the higher the drug intake, the lower the perceived drug-risk is among students. On the other hand, the higher t he rate of substance abuse, the higher the social tolerance by friends and classmates. This pattern was the same in all students of all stat es. These results reflect the importance of social norms in the drug c onsuming behavior of students. They refer that, its prevalence is inti mately linked with the availability of drugs, the degree of danger att ributed to them, and the use of drugs by friends and family.