The relationship between youth's moral and legal perceptions of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana and use of these substances (original) (raw)
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Pharmacophore, 2014
This research paper aims to address the pressing concern of drug consumption among youth by utilizing a comprehensive statistical analysis of an intervention program. The study employs the "Intention to Change Behavior Toward Drug Consumption" scale, which is rooted in the Theory of Planned Behavior, to assess participants' intention to alter their drug consumption behavior. The scale encompasses five subscales—attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, perceptions of risks, and knowledge of consequences—each probing different components of the theory. The intervention program, named the "Cognitive-Social-Medico-Legal Educational Approach," draws from Albert Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory to affect the behavior and attitude change in youth regarding drug consumption. Grounded in cognitive, behavioral, and environmental factors, the program encompasses observation and modeling, enhancing self-efficacy, employing rewards and punishments, developing self-regulation skills, improving the social environment, and fostering awareness of medico-legal implications. Through a thorough selection methodology, 40 youth actively engaged in drug use and seeking psychotherapy services were chosen for participation—20 in the experimental group and 20 in the control group. After a three-month intervention, statistical analysis revealed significant shifts in attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and knowledge of consequences in the experimental group. Conversely, the control group exhibited limited changes, except for marginal shifts in perceptions of risks. These findings offer critical insights for addressing youth drug consumption through evidence-based interventions, thereby contributing to the larger discourse on substance abuse prevention and empowerment among the youth demographic.
Substance use among young people: the relationship between perceived functions and intentions
Addiction, 1999
Aims. To explore the relationship between young people's use of psychoactive substances, perceived functions for using, the experience of negative effects, and the influences of these variables on their intention to use substances again. Design. Cross-sectional survey in which respondents were purposively recruited using snowballing techniques. Setting. Interviews were conducted in informal community settings. Participants. One hundred young drug and alcohol users (45 females) aged between 16 and 21 years. Measurements. Life-time prevalence, current frequency and intensity of substance use and intentions to use again were assessed for four target substances (alcohol, cannabis, amphetamines and ecstasy) together with measures of the perceived functions for their use and peer substance involvement. Findings. The life-time experience of negative effects from using the assessed substances was not found to correlate with current consumption patterns. Statistically significant associations were observed between the reported frequency of taking substances and the perceived social/contextual and/or mood altering functions cited for their consumption. The substance use function measures together with the reported extent of peer use were significant predictors of intentions to use again. Conclusions. If these findings are confirmed in larger studies, educational and preventative efforts may need to acknowledge the positive personal and social functions which different substances serve for young people. The results also call into question the extent to which the experience of negative effects influences future patterns of use.
Young People's Drug Use: facts and feelings - implications for the normalization debate
Drugs: education, prevention and policy, 2000
Much is known about patterns of drug use by young peopleÐ especially in terms of measures of`ever' usage; but relatively little is known about young people's feelings about such usage. This paper will present ® ndings of a quantitative study based on a previous qualitative study. Findings are reported on: drug use; views on the use of cannabis, amphetamines and heroin; views on the health risks of various drugs; and the relationship between reported drug use and expressed views. The ® ndings are discussed in relation to the extent to which illegal drug use can be considered to be`normalized' as part of young people's lives, towards the end of their compulsory schooling. Whilst the ® ndings provide some evidence for both sides of the`normalization debate', it is concluded that there is only weak evidence that normalization, even of cannabis use, is true for young people of this age (15± 16 years old). However, if drug use is increasing and the age of onset of such use decreasing, then for these young people as they get older, and for future cohorts at the end of their compulsory schooling, normalization of certain forms of drug use may occur.
Exploring Public Perception of Substance Use among Adolescents
International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews, 2024
Substance use within adolescent groups has emerged as a significant public health concern, impacting not only individual behavior but also familial and societal dynamics. This study investigates public opinion on substance use among adolescents aged 14 to 19 a developmental phase characterized by curiosity, risk-taking, and heightened vulnerability to experimenting with drugs and alcohol. The research seeks to understand how the general public perceives adolescent substance use, examining views on contributing factors, potential consequences, and the social and familial impact of this issue. By evaluating public opinion, this study aims to uncover the social and cultural attitudes that influence adolescent behaviors and assess the level of public awareness regarding the risks associated with substance use during these formative years. Findings are expected to offer insight into how communities can strengthen prevention strategies, support at-risk youth, and foster environments that discourage substance abuse. Public perceptions are essential in shaping effective and culturally relevant interventions to address the growing concern of adolescent substance use and to mitigate its long-term impact on individual and societal well-being.
Contributions of social influences and expectations of use to cannabis use in high-school students
Addictive Behaviors, 2006
The aim of the study was to evaluate the relative contributions of peers cannabis use or non-use, parental approval of such use, adolescents' own beliefs about use, to the prediction of cannabis use. The participants were 559 high-school students who completed questionnaires assessing the frequency of cannabis use, the number of peers using cannabis, the number of peers opposed to cannabis use, parental attitude toward cannabis use, and participants' expectations towards use. The number of peers using cannabis and participants' positive expectations of cannabis use were risk factors for use whereas the number of peers opposed to cannabis use and the negative expectations of use were protective factors. Parental attitudes towards use were not a significant independent predictor of use.
Young people, recreational drug use and harm reduction
This chapter begins by reviewing the prevalence of recreational drug use and related adverse health outcomes among young people in European countries. It then employs a typological approach to review and discuss the current range of responses that aim to reduce the harms associated with young people's recreational drug use in Europe. These responses include: individually focused and group-based interventions (school-based drugs education and prevention, mass media campaigns, motivational interviewing, and youth development programmes) and 'settings-based approaches', which make changes to recreational settings, such as nightclubs, or institutional settings, such as schools, to address the social and environmental background of young people's drug use.
Young people's access to tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs
BMJ, 2005
Young people's use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs causes concern. Early use of psychoactive substances can be harmful to health in the short term-for example, through injuries sustained or inflicted while intoxicated-and can lead to lasting patterns of consumption that increase the risk of many chronic diseases and social problems. 1 2 Recent concern in the United Kingdom has focused on issues such as continued high levels of smoking by young women, binge drinking and associated antisocial behaviour by young people in general, and higher levels of cannabis use in adolescents than in most European countries. w1 One potential approach to reducing the use of psychoactive substances in young people is to control their availability, but public policy in this area has tended to tackle tobacco, alcohol, or illicit drugs in isolation and is not necessarily based on evidence about what works. 3 We review the research evidence on availability and answer two key questions. Firstly, how easy is it for young people in the UK to obtain tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs? Secondly, do measures to control availability affect young people's patterns of use? We concentrate on measures affecting price, tax, importation, licensing, sales practices, illicit markets, and enforcement in all of these areas. We do not deal with production, prohibition, rationing, marketing, or controls on possession or use (see bmj.com for rationale).