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Factors Associated with Recreational Drug Use

Centre for Occupational and Health Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK., wadsworthej{at}cardiff.ac.uk

Susanna C. Moss

Centre for Occupational and Health Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.

Sharon A. Simpson

Centre for Occupational and Health Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.

Andrew P. Smith

Centre for Occupational and Health Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.

This study aimed to examine demographic, lifestyle, mental health and personality factors associated with illicit recreational drug use, heavy alcohol consumption and smoking in a community-based population sample. A postal questionnaire survey was conducted of people who were selected at random from the Electoral registers of Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil. Illicit drug use was associated with risk taking, neuroticism, being male, having a higher education qualification, not being married, being unemployed, being aged under 25 years, smoking, heavy alcohol consumption and living in Cardiff. Smoking was associated with anxiety, depression, being female, lower income and educational qualifications, looking after the family or home, being aged over 25 years, illicit drug use and heavy alcohol use. Heavy alcohol consumption was associated with not being depressed, experiencing sleeping problems, risk taking, being male, higher income, no higher educational qualification, not being married, being a student, being aged under 25 years, smoking and illicit drug use. Illicit drug use, smoking and heavy alcohol use were strongly associated with each other. Illicit drug use was associated with alcohol use and, to an even greater extent, with smoking. Illicit drug and alcohol use were associated with similar characteristics, but smoking was associated with a rather different demographic combination.

Key Words: alcohol • illicit recreational drugs • smoking

Journal of Psychopharmacology, Vol. 18, No. 2, 238-248 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/0269881104042628


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