The objective of this survey was to identify the lifetime use of alcohol and
drugs and the need for implementation of brief intervention for problems
related to the use of these substances among users of the Family Health
Strategy of the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. A sample of 1031 individuals
answered a sociodemographic information form and completed the Alcohol,
Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). Univariate
analyses with simple frequency distribution were performed. It was
observed that the drugs most used by respondents in life were alcohol and
tobacco, and among the most commonly used illicit drugs were marijuana
and crack cocaine. Those who needed more brief intervention were tobacco,
opioid, hypnotics, marijuana, crack cocaine, and alcohol users. It is important
to detect problems associated with alcohol and drug use early in primary
care, for this environment promotes health protection and disease
prevention.