Uses of psychoactive substances among young French: a regional approach

Ever since it has been set up in 2000 the ESCAPAD Survey, which evaluates the uses of psychoactive substances among the 17-18 years-old French, has significantly enabled strengthening the monitoring system of drug uses in France. Thanks to its yearly periodicity, ESCAPAD has become an efficient gauge for these behaviours.

With the "Atlas regional des consommations de produits psychoactifs des jeunes Français" (Regional Atlas for the uses of psychoactive substances among the Young French young), which data presented here are stemming from, the OFDT illustrates another application of that survey. The purpose is to supply a systematic analysis of these figures on a regional level through detailed files for all local actors involved: the drug addiction project managers, the CIRDD's (Centres for Information and Resources on Drug and Drug Addictions), the ORS's (Regional Health Monitoring Centres), or the DRASS's (Regional Directorates for Health and Social Affairs).

As the ESCAPAD methodology relies upon a large sample covering the whole French territory, it allows an infra-national analysis while offering a more precise comparability framework than in regional surveys carried out separately, with different periods of time, methods, populations, and questionings.