[Prevalence of the improper use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs in the Ecuadorian population].

An epidemiological investigation was conducted in 1988 to measure prevalence of the improper use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs in the Ecuadorian population. This research was based on a structured survey of 185 questions that was carried out on a probabilistic random sample of 6,000 individuals representative of the country's entire population between the ages of 10 and 65. The relative frequency of the various common forms of consumption of these substances was also investigated. The highest prevalences of addiction corresponded to alcohol and tobacco (13%), followed by tranquilizers (0.8%), opiates (0.4%), barbiturates and marijuana (0.2%), and cocaine base (0.11%). The most common form of consumption was experimental, followed by recreational and psychopathological, as a stimulant, and as an anesthetic. Some of the substances were shown to be related to specific forms of consumption, which in the future will serve as a basis for establishing policies for prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.