Risk levels for alcohol and tobacco problems among students: a sociodemographic analysis

Background: Alcohol and tobacco use among adolescents and young adults is a global public health issue, with increasing prevalence in Mexico, particularly at an early age, potentially influenced by social and cultural factors. This study aims to estimate the risk levels of alcohol and tobacco consumption problems and their sociodemographic-associated variables in a student population. Methods: A cross-sectional and analytical study was conducted among high school and university students. All students who voluntarily agreed to participate through informed consent were included. Alcohol and tobacco consumption were assessed through the online Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0, including Chi-square tests assessing associations between sex and education with consumption risk levels and ordinal logistic regression identifying risk predictors, considering p < 0.05 as significant. Results: A total of 2,174 students participated with a mean age of 19.31 ± 2.85 years; 65.2% were women, 73.1% were in university, and 69.1% were exclusively students. Men were at a gender differences higher risk for alcohol consumption, but not tobacco. High school students showed a lower risk for smoking (OR = 0.465) and alcohol-related problems (OR = 0.344) compared to university students. In addition, significant differences were found in alcohol-related risk between educational levels (χ² = 6.57, p = 0.038) and between men and women (χ² = 13.69, p < 0.001). Exclusively being a student was linked to a lower risk for tobacco-related problems (OR = 0.542) and alcohol-related problems (OR = 0.703). Conclusions: Alcohol use is more common than tobacco among high school seniors and university students. Tobacco consumption, although used less frequently, has a higher moderate-high risk of problems in high school students. Full-time students have lower risks compared to those who work and study simultaneously, highlighting areas for targeted interventions.