Identification Of Tetrahydrocannabinol In The Urine Of Male Adolescents At A Vocational High School In Medan City

Abstract

Indonesia faces significant challenges in controlling narcotics, particularly marijuana (Cannabis sativa), which has the highest prevalence of use at 57.11%. Adolescents are a demographic highly vulnerable to drug exposure due to the transitional phase of identity formation and the influence of their social environment. This study aimed to identify the presence of Tetrahydrocannabinol in urine samples from male adolescents at a vocational high school (SMK) in Medan and to describe the respondents' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding drugs. A descriptive qualitative research design was employed. The study involved 55 students who consented to provide urine samples. Laboratory analysis was conducted using the rapid test cassette method based on the principle of competitive immunoassay at the Toxicology Laboratory of the Medical Laboratory Technology Department, Poltekkes Kemenkes Medan. The finding that three male adolescent urine samples tested positive for Tetrahydrocannabinol indicates marijuana use at the time of the study, while the majority of respondents demonstrated good knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding drugs, three respondents lacked adequate knowledge, held unfavorable attitudes, and exhibited behaviors that placed them at risk for drug abuse.