Many Eastern European countries, including Romania, are confronted with a growing public health problem – substance abuse, especially among adolescents and young adults. This is aggravated by the economical and political context, growing black market industry and weak infrastructure. Schools are unprepared to handle the problem, parents lack the knowledge and skills to address it, and the local media is not ready to properly advertise the need for adequate financial support. The only intervention that exists is a punitive one – the arrest of dealers and consumers by the Romanian Police.
According to the Ecological Model, a multilevel approach is needed to address this problem. The purpose of this study was to assess existing knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs related to substance abuse in the city of Cluj, Romania. Focus groups were conducted with representatives from: the police and forensic department, high school students, parents, teachers and psychologists. Preliminary data suggest a high prevalence of substance abuse among students, difficulties encountered by toxicology departments in assessing the problem, and lack of effective preventive and therapeutical intervention.
The actual study will present results and complete data analysis, along with proposed tailored strategies for intervention and forensic and public health implications.