[A survey on drug abuse in young males in Longchuan County, Yunnan Province].

To understand the prevalence of drug abuse among young people, 1,548 men aged 18 to 29 years were interviewed in 82 natural villages of Longchuan County, Yunnan Province during August to October, 1994, and 433 were found being drug abusers (28%). Most of them started their drug abuse after mid-1980s, and new ones increased yearly. Prevalence of drug abuse in Jingpo ethnic was significantly higher than that in Han and Dai ethnics, and levels of schooling of the people related inversely to their prevalence of drug abuse. Prevalence of drug abuse in young men with smoking, drinking, and premarital or extra-marital sex was much higher than in those without them, and related to their cumulative amounts of smoking and drinking and inversely to their age to start smoking and drinking and to have their first sexual experience. Prevalence of drug abuse in young men who were encouraged to try drugs by others and had family members using drugs was significantly higher than in those without these risk factors. This study suggests drug abuse is prevalent among young men in Longchuan County, and prevention and control of it in adolescents and youngsters should be implemented as soon as possible.