The Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) has been established by the Scottish Executive to allow a broad based approach to the monitoring of substance use among secondary school children in Scotland. The survey was undertaken by the Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit (CAHRU), University of Edinburgh, commissioned by the Information and Statistics Division (ISD Scotland) on behalf of the Scottish Executive. SALSUS 2002 was designed to provide information about smoking, drinking and drug use in the context of adolescent lifestyles.

The survey continues the biennial series of surveys used to monitor national trends in smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in Scotland since 1982 and in 2002 incorporates items on health, lifestyle and social factors for the first time1. A further important development in 2002 is the provision of information at local as well as national level. Local reports will be provided to Drug and Alcohol Action Teams early in 2003. The main national report on the survey findings, including the interrelationships of substance use with other health and lifestyle factors will be published later in 2003.