ABSTRACT
Background: Use of gateway
substances by adolescents usually
precedes use of hardsubstances.
Aims: Determine prevalence of use
of gateway substances, age at first
use and associatedfactors.
Methods: Instruments consisting of
sociodemographic variables and
alcohol, tobacco, cannabis,
stimulant use sections of World
Health Organisation Questionnaire
for Student Drug Use Surveys were
administered on secondary school
studentsinBeninCity.
Results: Current prevalence rates
of alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and
cannabis use were 29.0%, 22.8%,
3.9% and1.5%,past year rates were
41.9%, 30.3%, 6.0% and 1.9% while
lifetime rates were 55.9%, 46.7%,
9.2% and 2.6%. Use of gateway
substances started before age 15
years for majority of students while
age, sex, family type,having a friend
at school or a family member that
uses tobacco and dis-satisfaction
with relationship with teacher
significantly differentiated tobacco
users fromnon-users.
Conclusion: Control programmes
must target schools and families.
Key words: Key words: Gateway substances,
a d o l e s c e n t s, p r e v a l e n c e,
sociodemographic characteristics
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