Illicit Drug Use and Associated Problems in the Nightlife Scene: A Potential Setting for Prevention

Kristin Feltmann, Tobias H. Elgán, Anna K. Strandberg, Pia Kvillemo, Nitya Jayaram-Lindström, Meryem Grabski, Jon Waldron, Tom Freeman, Helen Valerie Curran and Johanna Gripenberg
Additional contact information
Kristin Feltmann: STAD, Stockholm Prevents Alcohol and Drug Problems, SE-113 64 Stockholm, Sweden
Tobias H. Elgán: STAD, Stockholm Prevents Alcohol and Drug Problems, SE-113 64 Stockholm, Sweden
Anna K. Strandberg: STAD, Stockholm Prevents Alcohol and Drug Problems, SE-113 64 Stockholm, Sweden
Pia Kvillemo: STAD, Stockholm Prevents Alcohol and Drug Problems, SE-113 64 Stockholm, Sweden
Nitya Jayaram-Lindström: Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Norra Stationsgatan 69, SE-113 64 Stockholm, Sweden
Meryem Grabski: Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 7HB, UK
Jon Waldron: Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 7HB, UK
Tom Freeman: Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 7HB, UK
Helen Valerie Curran: Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 7HB, UK
Johanna Gripenberg: STAD, Stockholm Prevents Alcohol and Drug Problems, SE-113 64 Stockholm, Sweden

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 9, 1-20

Abstract: Illicit drug use is prevalent in the nightlife scene, especially at electronic dance music (EDM) events. The aim of the present study was to investigate illicit drug use patterns and consequences of drug use among frequent visitors of EDM events. Young adults (18–34 years old) who had visited at least six EDM events in Sweden during the past year participated in a web-based survey on drug use patterns and its consequences. Fifty-nine percent of participants had used illicit drugs during the past year, most often cannabis followed by ecstasy, cocaine, and amphetamine. Nightlife venues were identified as the main setting for the use of central stimulants, while cannabis was mostly used at home. Frequent alcohol and tobacco use was associated with illicit drug use. The most prevalent negative consequences of drug use were related to mental health, such as impairments in mood, sleep, and memory problems, but physical manifestations were also reported, such as palpitations and collapsing. These findings confirm that drug use is prevalent and associated with negative health effects among EDM nightlife attendees. The nightlife scene is a setting with promising potential to reach a high-risk target group with illicit drug use prevention interventions.

Keywords: illicit drugs; abuse; nightclubs; festivals; DUDIT; anxiety; prevention; substance use disorder; gender; age (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/9/4789/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/9/4789/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:9:p:4789-:d:546680

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().