[Violence and consumption of illicit drugs in Quebec adolescents. An analysis of their perceptions].

OBJECTIVE

To study adolescents' perception of the connection between violence and the consumption of illegal drugs. DESIGN: A self-administered questionnaire. SETTING: A town with 30,000 inhabitants north of Montreal. PARTICIPANTS: Almost 3300 students between the ages of 12 and 19. RESULTS: About 25% reported that they had been victims of violence by other adolescents who were, in their estimation, under the influence of an illicit drug. This rate increased significantly among adolescents who used drugs themselves, and was highest among female adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15. CONCLUSION: Students, especially young women, who consume illegal drugs are more likely to be victims of violence than those who do not. Family physicians should advise young patients of this risk.