New forms of drug use: An overview.

Abstract

Send correspondence to: Dr. Manuel Isorna Folgar. Universidad de Vigo. Facultad Ciencias Educación. Campus As Lagoas. 32004 Ourense. E-mail: isorna.catoira@uvigo.es Drug use is deeply rooted in Western ‘culture’ and its use is related to traditions, celebrations or leisure space. However, such use is not free of risks that depend on the amount, frequency and pattern of consumption, as well as the characteristics of the consumer such as age, sex and some health conditions. Despite mounting scientific evidence proving the toxicity of drugs, their supply and demand for them continues to grow, mainly due to the appearance or rediscovery of new psychoactive substances and the ‘attractiveness’ of new forms or patterns of use. Paradoxically, although concern aroused by these new consumption patterns is rising, very few studies have been carried out in Spain that analyze this issue. While we know that adolescence is usually a time of searching and experimentation, and that many young people try substances without necessarily implying that they have an addiction problem, the available evidence points to the appearance of addictive behaviours at increasingly younger ages (Rial, Golpe, Barreiro, Gómez & Isorna, 2020). Although the latest Spanish national survey on drug use in secondary education (Encuesta Estatal sobre uso de Drogas en Enseñanza Secundaria, ESTUDES, 2021) shows that the consumption of all psychoactive substances in general is decreasing slightly, alcohol and cannabis use among the young Spanish population is higher than the European average (ESPAD, 2019), and other forms of consumption such as electronic cigarettes (EC) continue to gain popularity. Our aim was therefore to review these new forms and patterns of use and their possible social health implications, especially for the youngest.