Few studies have analyzed in the general population psychoactive substance use among @entity2587 , especially among females. In fact, sporting activity is often promoted in prevention actions, as an alternative to addiction or @entity167 , @entity286 or other substance misuse. So, we propose an analysis of the ESPAD 1999 sample among students (16-18 years old), focused on the relationship between sporting activities and substance use. @entity1 play sport more frequently than @entity1 (71.5% versus 49.5%) and report 8 hours and more a week 4 more times than @entity1 (14% versus 3.5%). Sixty-eight percent of @entity1 and 36% of @entity1 have already participated in sport competitions, more often at a local, departmental or regional level; a minority of them (26% of @entity1 and 20% of @entity1 ) have already participated in sport competitions at a national or international level. Sporting activity is decreasing with age among @entity1 , students from general lyc  e play sport more frequently than others do (vocational lyc  e); the higher the father's education level, the more frequently the students play sport. Moderate sporting activity (1-8 hours a week) is a protective factor against regular smoking (OR=0.54 in @entity1 and OR=0.60 in @entity1 ) and against regular cannabis use among @entity1 (OR=0.64). Intensive sporting activity (>8 hours a week) is a risk factor for illicit drugs (except cannabis) use (OR=2.74) and sleeping drugs/tranquillizers (OR=1.82) only among @entity1 . Competition level is the most important risk factor for substance misuse as well in @entity1 (except sleeping drugs/tranquillizers) as in @entity1 . Practical implications are: adjusting health policy concerning the beneficial effects of sporting activity, raising sports associations abilities and avoiding doping and addiction in high-level sporting activities.

[Sporting activities and psychoactive substance use. Data abstracted from the French part of the European School Survey on XXXX and other Drugs (ESPAD 99)].

@entity2587 :: ('MESH:D001265', 'Disease') :: ['athletes'] @entity286 :: ('4097', 'Species') :: ['tobacco'] @entity167 :: ('CHEBI:16236', 'Chemical') :: ['alcohol'] @entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Boys', 'girls', 'boys']
@entity167 :: (CHEBI:16236,Chemical) :: ['Alcohol']
