Characteristics and social representation of ecstasy in Europe - Irefrea

It stands out the high percentage of amphetamines used. In Utrecht is nearly 50 %of the sample and in Nice, the sample with the lower percentage, 30,6% of the peoplehave used it. We will see later that, above all, this consumption corresponds, foramphetamines as well as other drugs, to the individuals who are also ecstasy-users.The LSD use is very high in Nice (40%), while Palma de Mallorca shows the lowestpercentage (7,9%). However, this last city is where we find the highest percentage ofBenzodiazepines use (31%), which is less frequent in the other cities and non-existentat all in Utrecht. We have not got an explanation for this high use of Benzodiazepinesin the Spanish sample, although it could be that what people seek is their effect mixedwith alcohol. We consider it an interesting datum that should be more studied.In the Utrecht sample we find the highest percentage of people who has used otherdesigner drugs (18,9%), while in the rest of the cities these percentages are practicallynon-existent, except in Nice with 7,1%. Probably, it is due to the fact that Dutch peoplehas got a better knowledge of synthesis drugs or that in other countries, drug usersignore -because of the market characteristics- or are not interested in knowing if theyare using ecstasy or any other designer drug.FRIENDS WHO ALSO TAKE ECSTASYCOIMBRA MODENA NICE PALMA UTRECHTGlo NC C Glo NC C Glo NC C Glo NC C Glo NC CAll 00,0 00,0 00,0 03,4 02,0 04,0 05,6 01,1 10,6 05,7 00,0 10,8 00,0 00,0 01,6Almost all 16,8 00,7 32,3 14,6 02,0 28,0 18,9 08,1 32,0 19,1 04,8 34,2 18,6 02,7 34,4Half of them 17,9 04,4 31,0 09,8 00,7 18,8 16,6 08,1 27,3 11,9 04,8 19,2 10,1 03,3 17,2A few 37,6 38,2 36,6 41,4 33,3 49,3 38,5 47,6 27,3 32,5 33,3 31,1 41,1 38,0 44,4None 27,6 56,6 00,0 30,8 61,9 00,0 20,4 35,1 02,6 30,7 57,6 04,8 29,3 56,0 02,2Glo: Global sample NC: Non ecstasy consumer C: ecstasy consumerGLOBAL SAMPLE ANSWERSWe find a relatively homogeneous behaviour in the answers of the global sample inevery city. Approximately 30% have not got any friend who uses ecstasy and betweena 30% and a 40%, very few.Palma de Mallorca (5,7%), Nice (5,6%) and Modena (3,4%), where, as we will seelater, we detect the highest percentages of ecstasy misuse and more polyconsume, arethe cities where we find a part of the sample that has all their friends ecstasy users.ANSWERS ACCORDING TO DRUG USE VARIABLESIf we compare the answers given by drug consumers (C) and non-consumers (NC),we find very different percentages in each one of the frequencies, except when “having60