Conocer la edad de contacto con tabaco, alcohol y dro-gas ilegales entre los adolescentes, su consumo y sus relaciones con el entorno y hábitos de vida.

Estudio transversal descriptivo, mediante encuesta a 2.178 adolescentes de 12 a 16 años representativos de Cantabria.

El 80,4 % de los adolescentes considera el tabaco una droga. El 44 % ha fumado un cigarrillo alguna vez y son fumadores el 19,3%. El 44,5% no cree que el alcohol sea una droga. El 69,2 % ha probado el alcohol y el 37% son bebedores. La mayoría (92,9%) bebe los fines de semana y el 88% todas las bebidas encuestadas. Amigos (54,1%) y familiares (16,4%) son los iniciadores en este hábito. El 46 % de los bebedores actuales se ha embriagado en los últimos 6 meses una o más veces. A los 15 años fuma el 29,4% y bebe el 61,8%. El contacto con drogas ilegales es menos frecuente y el 10,2 % declara consumir hachís. El consumo de todas estas sustancias se asocia con una mayor edad, un entorno consumidor y determinado patrón de ocio. El análisis mediante regresión logística refleja que la consideración de tabaco y alcohol como drogas es un factor protector para su consumo y son factores de riesgo consumir otras drogas, embriagarse y tener un entorno consumidor de las mismas.

Los adolescentes presentan un contacto precoz y un consumo preocupante de tabaco, alcohol y drogas ilegales. El entorno y los hábitos de vida se relacionan marcadamente con estas conductas de riesgo.

To identify the age at which adolescents first experiment with tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs and to identify the relationship between consumption of these substances and lifestyle and environment.

Cross-sectional descriptive study based on a survey of 2,178 adolescents aged 12-16 years old from Cantabria (Spain).

Tobacco was considered a drug by 80.4% of the adolescents. Forty-four percent had smoked at some time and 19.3% were smokers. Alcohol was not considered a drug by 44.5 %, 69.2 % had drunk alcohol at some time and 37% drank regularly. Most of the adolescents (92.9%) drank at weekends and 88 % drank all the spirits surveyed. The adolescents were introduced to this habit by friends (54.1 %) and relatives (16.4%). Forty-six percent of those who drank regularly had got drunk once or more in the previous 6 months. At the age of 15 years, 29.4% smoked and 61.8% drank alcohol regularly. An association with illegal drugs was less common; 10.2% smoked hashish. Consumption of all these substances was associated with greater age, living in an environment in which these substances were consumed and with certain forms of leisure activity. Logistic regression analysis revealed that considering tobacco and alcohol as drugs protected adolescents against their consumption and that consuming other drugs, getting drunk and being in a consumer environment were risk factors for consumption.

Contact with illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco starts early in adolescence. Levels of consumption are worrying. Environment and lifestyle are closely associated with risk factors for consumption.