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Drugs: families that protect and that expose teenagers to risk

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to assess the relationship between substance use (alcoholic beverages, smoking and drug use) among teenagers and cohabitation with parents, as well as the relationship between substance use and parental smoking. METHODS: In 2002, a cross-sectional survey was carried out in the urban area of Pelotas, southern Brazil. Multi-stage sampling was used to obtain a sample of adolescents aged between 15 and 18 years. Adolescents were interviewed using a self-applied confidential questionnaire. RESULTS: The cohabitation of parents and adolescents significantly reduced the odds ratio of tobacco smoking, but had a lower effect on reducing drugs use and was not related to alcohol intake. CONCLUSION: Parental smoking seems to be related only to adolescent smoking. No interaction was found between the two variables in relation to the consumption of any of studied substances.

smoking; family; alcohol; drugs


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