Psychoactive substance use and preventive trends in higher education institutions in Lithuania

Abstract

This paper focuses on the analysis of psychoactive substance use situation and preventive trends within communities of HE institutions in Lithuania. The researchers used a questionnaire, thus applying the quantitative research method. The research results: strong alcohol drinks among students of HE institutions are not popular; the respondents used psychoactive substances for the first time while still at secondary school; more than one tenth of the respondents indicated having driven a vehicle while under alcoholic intoxication at least once over the last 12 months. The alcohol, tobacco and other psychoactive substance use situation among students could be related to psychosocial factors: the possibility to relax, to reduce stress, to experience pleasure, to overcome boredom and to communicate. The results of the survey reveal an imperative to start a discussion about the formation and implementation of preventive measures against psychoactive substance use within communities of Lithuanian HE institutions.