Pattern of values and beliefs, and polysubstance use among young adults

Abstract

Street binge drinking and cannabis consumption are a relevant problem associated with the Spanish youth leisure, being of great interest to study the profile of these consumers. This paper is derived from a non-experimental research - field, transversal, descriptive study. A structured questionnaire was administered as a tool for collecting information. The study population consisted of Spanish young people between 18 and 30 years. The sample consisted of 403 individuals and was divided into three groups: young people who practice a simultaneous consumption of addictive substances (specifically, alcohol and cannabis), those who only practice street binge drinking, and non-consumers. Differences among the values, the beliefs, and the practice of leisure activities of each group of young adults are analyzed. The results describe young people who practice street binge drinking and consume cannabis as men of upper-middle class, who give great importance to hedonism, and have the belief that alcohol and cannabis consumption is not harmful. This information is essential to design drug abuse prevention programs, using the right platforms (eg, video games), and focusing on the need to transmit more accurate beliefs about the risks of youth substance use.