Adolescents, doping agents, and drug use: A community study

Use of doping agents among Norwegian adolescents was investigated with special emphasis on the association between doping agent use and use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs. The sample consisted of all 14 to 17 year olds in the public and private school systems in Oslo. The response rate was 94.3 % (n = 10,828). Two and three-tenths percent of the boys and 1.3 % of the girls reported a life-time ever use of doping agents. Use of doping agents did not vary according to sociodemographic variables, living area in the city, or ethnic background. Multivariate analyses showed that there was an association between doping agent use and family factors (parental alcohol exposure and poor monitoring). Doping agent users often used commercial gymnasiums; they also reported use of smokeless tobacco and high levels of alcohol problems. The associations between doping agent use and use of amphetamines, MDMA, and heroin were particularly strong. Surprisingly, the association between doping agent use and use of cannabis only was negative. In particular, the link to the use of heroin should be noted, as this may imply needle sharing and the spread of hepatitis and HIV.