TY - JOUR T1 - Cannabis use is associated with reduced harm perception towards illicit drugs and experimentation with new psychoactive substances among European adolescents and young adults JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2015.PA5118 VL - 46 IS - suppl 59 SP - PA5118 AU - Israel Agaku AU - Uyoyo Omaduvie AU - Constantine Vardavas AU - Filippos Filippidis Y1 - 2015/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/PA5118.abstract N2 - Introduction: This study investigated the relationships between current cannabis use and perceptions of reduced harm and easy access to other illicit drugs, as well as experimentation with New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) among youths aged 15-24 years in 27 European Union countries.Methods: We used data from the 2011 Flash Eurobarometer (n=12,313 persons aged 15-24 years). Current cannabis use was defined as past 30-day use; experimentation with NPS was defined as use at least once during a lifetime. Data were also collected on perceived harmfulness and ease of access to tobacco, cannabis, ecstasy, heroin, and cocaine. Analyses were performed using multivariate logistic regression (p<0.05).Results: Overall, 6.3% of respondents were current cannabis users. Current cannabis users were more likely than non-users to perceive using cannabis (Adjusted Odds Ration [AOR] =9.24), ecstasy (AOR=1.98) and cocaine (AOR=2.51) once or twice as harmless (all p<0.05). They were also more likely to report easy access to cannabis (AOR=11.23), tobacco (AOR=29.12), cocaine (AOR=2.26), ecstasy (AOR=2.44), and heroin (AOR=1.42) (all p<0.05). Experimentation with NPS was significantly associated with current cannabis use (AOR=10.81), as well as self-reported easy access to tobacco (AOR=4.16) and other illicit drugs (AOR=2.68)(p<0.05).Conclusions: Cannabis users showed perceptions of reduced harm, increased ease of access to other illicit drugs, and experimentation with NPS. Intensified public health educational campaigns about illicit drugs and EU-wide harmonization of NPS legislative control may help reduce drug use in Europe. ER -