OBJECTIVE: To trace the profile of the psychoactive substance use between the university students of the course of Nursing Sciences Health Center of the Federal University of Espirito Santo. METHODS: One is about explorer, descriptive, transversal and quantitative study, developed with Nursing university students of the first to the last year of the course. The instrument used in the collection of data is the Questionnaire on the Use of Drug, an adaptation of the considered one for the OMS and developing for the WHO - Research and Reporting Project on the Epidemiology of Drug Dependence. The data had been tabulated and analyzed through the Statistical Packcage Program for the Social Science (SPSS, 2005). RESULTS: 82% of the university students are female, 46.6% it had between 20 and 22 years and 41% belong to the social class B. Regarding the use of psychoactive substances, 43,9% made use in the life of some substance, except alcohol and tobacco, 82,1% reported use of alcohol in the life, 11,7% reported frequently used and 6,2% heavy use of this substance; and 22,4% mentioned in the life of tobacco use. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to prevent the misuse of psychoactive substances among university students through curriculum subjects that address the theme or specific programs for this population.
Psychoactive substances; university students; prevention
