| Sumario: | Objective: This study aimed to assess the pattern of illicit substance use and associated factors among male inmates of a highly populated Brazilian prison complex. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a population-based sample of 756 adult male prisoners. A semi-structured questionnaire was answered with the aid of a previously trained interviewer. Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression were used to analytically assess the data. Results: About 49.5% of the inmates reported use during imprisonment. Marijuana was the most common drug among illicit drug users (77.8%), followed by crack and cocaine (1.9% and 0.3%, respectively). Over 20% of drug users presented polydrug consumption pattern. The consumption of illicit substances was associated with prisoner's gender identity (p =.047), marital status (p <.001), age (p <.001), income (p <.001), tobacco and alcohol consumption (p <.001, for both associations). Tobacco and alcohol consumption, younger age and not being in a relationship were associated with an increased risk of consuming illicit drugs during imprisonment. Conclusions: The prevalence of illicit drug use by male prisoners was high. Polydrug use pattern often accompanies the consumption of alcohol and tobacco.
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