# First consumption of alcohol and drugs: When does it start, in which occasions and what can we do to prevent it?

## TL;DR

This study finds that many Croatian high school students start drinking alcohol and using drugs at a young age, often at home or with friends, and suggests early education is needed to prevent such behavior.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the age and context of first alcohol and drug use among Croatian adolescents.

## Key findings

- 92.33% of students reported alcohol use, with 33% starting by age 14.
- 24.27% tried drugs, mostly marijuana, with the youngest at six years old.
- Early childhood education is recommended to prevent risky behaviors.

## Abstract

The prevalence of alcohol use among adolescents in Croatia is high. The aim of this study was to determine the age and circumstances of first alcohol and drug consumption among adolescents.

An online questionnaire survey was conducted among final-year high school students in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia, between June 6 and December 28, 2020. Statistical analyses were performed using chi-square test, with a P-value <0.05 considered as statistically significant.

Among 1030 respondents, 92.33 % reported having consumed alcohol at least once, with 33 % initiating use at ≤14 years of age. The youngest age of the first alcohol consumption was three years, and the median age was 15 years (IQR = 14.00–16.00). Most participants first tasted beer (34.38 %), primarily out of curiosity (63.93 %), at their own home (28.29 %) friend's homes (27.44 %), or in nightclubs or café bars (27.23 %). A total of 24.27 % reported having tried drugs, most commonly marijuana (92.40 %), usually with friends (88.80 %). The youngest age of the first drug use was six years, and the median age was 16 years (IQR = 15.00–17.00).

First use of alcohol and drugs occurs at an early age, often in familiar environments. Enhanced educational and preventive measures beginning in early childhood are essential to prevent engagement in risky behaviors among children.

•92.33 % of high school students in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia had at least once drank alcohol.•24.27 % of them have tasted drugs, in most cases marijuana.•The lowest age of the first alcohol consumption was three years.•The lowest age of the first drugs consumption was six years.•Preventive and educational measures starting in the earliest childhood are needed.

92.33 % of high school students in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia had at least once drank alcohol.

24.27 % of them have tasted drugs, in most cases marijuana.

The lowest age of the first alcohol consumption was three years.

The lowest age of the first drugs consumption was six years.

Preventive and educational measures starting in the earliest childhood are needed.