Raveed Khan, Matthew Camacho ,
Abstract
This paper highlights the attitudes and practices of university students enrolled in the faculty of medical sciences regarding substance abuse. The cross sectional study was conducted over six months in which 308 students responded to a questionnaire distributed via email and social media. The 1-month prevalence rate for alcohol and cigarette use was found to be 53% and 9.1% respectively. Binge drinking had a prevalence of 29.0%. Marijuana was the second most frequently used drug with a 1-month prevalence of 13.4%. In general, alcohol was the most frequently used substance followed by marijuana. The participants showed a positive attitude towards the use of marijuana. While the use of tranquilizers, stimulants and cocaine was present, it was relatively low compared to the other substances. These findings provide a basis for future research regarding the use of and attitudes towards the use of these substances as the implications for their use and misuse can pose threats to the quality of care provided by health care practitioners. Keywords: Cannabis; Ethanol; Tranquilizing agents; Binge drinking; Prevalence; Attitude; Students; Faculty.