Nem todo consumo é igual: práticas de beber e fumar de estudantes de medicina nos contextos de lazer noturno

Abstract

This thesis aims to investigate whether and how medical students use drugs during their nighttime leisure activities. The study challenges the homogenization of drug use, proposing an analysis grounded in Social Practice Theory (SPT) that acknowledges the diversity of consumption patterns. This perspective enables an understanding of drug use not as a risky behavior or individual choice, but as a situated, relational, and socially learned practice. Methodologically, a qualitative approach was adopted, combining participant observation and field notes from university parties and other leisure experiences with semi-structured interviews with medical students aged 21 to 30 from a university located in the capital of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Data analysis followed Saldaña’s coding principles, supported by ATLAS.ti 23 software for information organization and visualization. The results are presented in three articles that explore: (1) students' nighttime outings to bars and parties and their alcohol consumption in these contexts; (2) drinking practices at open-bar parties; and (3) smoking practices. The findings reveal that drinking during leisure outings assumes diverse forms and meanings, including pre-drinking, aimed at saving money while achieving a desired level of intoxication before attending the main event. Alcohol consumption continues during the main event, with students managing their intake throughout the night, and sometimes extends into after-parties as they choose to prolong the experience. Open-bar parties emerge as spaces of belonging and sociability where heavy drinking is socially accepted and often expected. These settings foster distinct consumption performances compared to outings to bars. The study also highlights smoking among medical students—whether traditional cigarettes, vapes (electronic cigarettes), or marijuana—as a socially constituted practice that varies depending on the specific context. The use of smoked substances ranges from regular to occasional and is frequently associated with sociability and emotional regulation, often occurring in combination with alcohol consumption during leisure activities. By conceptualizing practices as social entities composed of meanings, materials, and competencies, SPT sheds light on the interactions between leisure, sociability, and consumption, revealing a dynamic ecosystem in which young people are embedded. This research underscores the importance of qualitative approaches to understanding consumption experiences. Drinking and smoking practices, analyzed through the lens of Social Practice Theory, are shown to be complex and multifaceted, challenging simplistic explanations and pointing to the need for public policies that are more attuned to the realities of youth. Understanding how and why these practices become integrated into everyday life is essential for developing more effective prevention and care strategies for this population