Recent trends in drug use at the age of 17: ESCAPAD 2000-2002

This survey was set up by the OFDT [Observatoire français des drogues et des toxicomanies - French observatory for drugs and drug addiction], with the support of the Direction centrale du service national [Central national service directorate] (DCSN). 

ESCAPAD is based on a self-administered, strictly anonymous questionnaire focusing on health, lifestyles, and the use and contexts of use of psychoactive products. The objective of this cross-sectional survey is to give accurate results across an age range which corresponds to a transition period in the trajectories of drug use. 

Above all, this third edition is able to show movement trends for the first time, by comparing the results observed at the age of 172 with those from ESCAPAD 2000. 

Finally, where possible, these figures have been compared with the surveys carried out in schools during the 1990s. 

Experimentation refers to the fact of having already used a product at least once during one's life. The other use indicators focus on the past thirty days ; current use (at least one episode of use), regular use of alcohol or cannabis (at least 10 episodes of use)3, daily use (at least once per day).

Even if they are the result of a reasoned choice, these thresholds are necessarily arbitrary and give an incomplete account of the diversity of usage rates, making a poor distinction between realities which are sometimes strongly contrasting.