Drug free universities--trends in illicit drugs use among Kraków university students.

Social survey by questioning people is a significant source of information, valuable for planning and developing of prophylactic strategies. An illicit drugs use among a first-year students of Kraków's universities and factors determining the usage were analysed. The research by completing the questionnaire designed by National Bureau for Drug Prevention, Poland was performed in 725 a first-year students of six Kraków's universities. The students were asked to complete the questionnaire confidentially, while the lecture on psychoactive substances. 83.6% of those polled know some students who use a drugs, 38.3% already initiated into drugs, 61.9% reported that they needed at least one day to get drugs. The male students reach for drugs more often then females, and those first-year students being already 20 years old compared to the younger. The greater risk was also noted among students who rent apartments or when a parents earned together more than 3500 PLN. The medical students reached for drugs more rarely than the others. Our survey is one of the first source of information about trends in the drugs usage by Kraków's students. The results will help to develop a preventive standards and creation of effective anti-drugs campaign to be accomplished by college authorities and the Kraków Environmental Diseases Out-patient Clinic for students and academic teachers. The clinic was organised in 2004.