To describe the prevalence of alcohol and other drugs consumption, among adolescent students.
A cross-sectional study with conglomerate samples of 60,973 students at freshman year high school in public and private schools in capitals and the Federal District in Brazil, in 2009. The 95% confidence interval and prevalence of alcohol and drug consumption were analyzed.
For the set of surveyed students, the following were identified: experimenting alcoholic beverages (71.4%; 95%CI 70.8-72.0); regular alcoholic beverage consumption (27.3%; 95%CI 26.7-28.0); drunkenness in lifetime (22.1%; 95%CI 21.6-22.7); family is worried when the student gets home drunk (93.8%; 95%CI 93.3-94.2); problems with alcohol use (9.0%; 95%CI 8.6-9.4); consumption of other drugs (8.7%; 95%CI 8.3-9.1).
The study shows the extension of the alcohol and drugs problem among Brazilian adolescents, with special emphasis on the easy access of students to alcoholic beverages at parties, bars, stores, and at homes.
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