Ecstasy and hallucinogen use in adolescence on the rise?

Findings are reported from a community survey of 3,021 adolescents and young adults, aged 14-24 years, in Munich, Germany, to determine the prevalence of use, abuse of, and dependence on, ecstasy, amphetamines and hallucinogens. The response rate was 71%. Results: (1) The prevalence of Ecstasy use is high (males: 4%, females: 2.3%); XTC-related amphetamines are used with prevalences of 3.6% (males) and 1.6% (females). LSD has a use prevalence of 2.5% (males) and 1.4% (females), other hallucinogens add up to 1.5%. (2) Comparisons with findings from the year 1990 suggest a substantial increase in consumption rates of both substances. (3) The prevalence according to DSM-IV of abuse and dependence diagnoses - almost 1% for Ecstasy and amphetamines and slightly lower rates for hallucinogens - suggests a significant addiction potential of both substances. (4) Age-of-onset hazard analyses further suggest that younger birth cohorts start the use of both substances at earlier ages and more frequently. For amphetamines, but not for hallucinogens, increasing incidence rates for all age groups were found. (5) Motivations for first use and discontinuation of both substances vary considerably, suggesting that substance-specific preventive interventions might be more promising than unspecific addiction programs. Conclusion: We could demonstrate continued fast-rising rates of ecstasy, amphetamine and hallucinogen use in adolescents and young adults. This fact will probably soon result in a significantly higher number of people in need of therapeutic interventions, constituting a substantial challenge for behavior therapy.