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This paper aimed to analyze indicators of drug use among 13 e 17 years old students between 2015 and 2019. Therefore, this research adopted a descriptive and documentary approach, using data from the National School Health Survey (PENSE), prepared by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), in the years 2015 and 2019. The results indicated that the most used drugs among school-age young people are cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana and crack. It was also found that the use of illicit drugs is higher among the oldest age group, that is, young people between 16 and 17 years old. With regard to the public aged between 13 and 15, it is possible to see an increase in alcohol consumption when comparing data from 2015 and 2019, especially among females; while the use of illicit drugs was reduced. Regarding the consumption of marijuana and crack, it is noteworthy that for the public aged between 16 and 17, the consumption of illicit drugs increased among females residing in the Southeast region. We understood that more investments are needed in campaigns and in the creation of public policies that guide the awareness and risks of the consumption of legal substances before the recommended age, as well as the deepening of studies on consumption, adopting a multifactorial approach. We need to demystify the punitive look at those who use and seek shelter, in order to investigate the real reasons that led the individual to take refuge in drugs, dealing with these issues and encouraging the search for other ways to deal with this aspect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]