PREVALENCE OF USE, ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE OF ILLICIT DRUGS AMONG ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG-ADULTS IN A COMMUNITY SAMPLE

Prevalence findings for 1995 of illicit drug use as well as DSM-IV abu se and dependence are reported from a representative population sample of 3,021 respondents from Munich, Germany, aged 14-24 years. Results are based on personal interviews using the M-Composite International D iagnostic Interview (M-CIDI) with its DSM-IV diagnostic algorithms. Fi ndings indicate that more than 30% of the adolescents and young adults are or have been using one or more illicit drugs at least once in the ir life. Men were slightly more likely to ever use drugs and used them more frequently than women. Cannabinoids were by far the most frequen tly used type of drug, followed by various stimulating drugs and hallu cinogens. There is also considerable polysubstance use among 14- to 24 -year-olds. Criteria for DSM-IV abuse without dependence were met by 4 .1% of all men and 1.8% of all women, a dependence syndrome of any typ e of illicit drug was diagnosed in 2.5% of the men and 1.6% of the wom en. Cumulative age of onset incidence analyses suggest that substance use starts early, in about one-third before the age of 16 years and co ntinues to rise for most drugs throughout adolescence and young adulth ood. Overall these findings suggest that substance use and substance d isorders are more prevalent than suggested in most previous German stu dies.