Factores de riesgo para el consumo de marihuana en adolescentes de Lima

The consumption of illicit drugs in Peru is concerning, with marijuana being the most commonly used among the school-age population. This study aimed to identify risk factors that predict marijuana use among high school students in Metropolitan Lima aged 13 to 18 years, describe how these factors are distributed in these students, and determine differences in the risk factors between consumers and non-consumers. Methods: The sample included 975 students from public schools, and variables related to drug consumption, expectations, self-efficacy, sensation seeking, and parental monitoring were measured. Results: The lifetime prevalence of marijuana consumption was 6.2%, with an average age of 14.18 years. Availability and consumption of marijuana in the student environment were highlighted as risk factors. Additionally, significant differences were found between consumers and nonconsumers in sensation seeking, expectations, self-efficacy, parental control and communication, and risk perception. Logistic regression showed that dichotomous variables such as tobacco consumption, curiosity to try marijuana, drug availability, and sensation seeking had greater predictive capacity. Conclusion: The main risk factors were previous alcohol and tobacco use, curiosity to try marijuana, and risk perception of its use. Significant differences were found between consumers and nonconsumers regarding consumption expectations, sensation seeking, self-efficacy to reject offers, and parental communication and control.