drugs in context Flashcards
why do juveniles use substances
- intergeneraltional substance use is normal in some families
- pop culture glorifies underage drinking & substance use
- juveniles have agency (capacity for decision-making)
- substance use (like other delinquency) is a group experience for juveniles
changes over time
how do we view/consider drugs
tobacco
used to be accepted and is becoming less so
amphetamines
in the ’40s & ’50s they were seen as medicine, then they were seen as bad drugs and now they’re becoming medicinal again (Adderall)
harmful legal products
legal products that are used or consumed in an effort ot get intoxicated or high and can have negative reprocussions
inhalable and ingestible
often the first type of substance a juvenile uses before getting involved in illegal drugs
cultural/geographical differences
how do we view/consider drugs
alcohol
in the US, 21+ is acceptable, in other countries they have different restrictions
marijuana
illegal at the federal level and in 26 states, in states where it’s legal it’s 21+
inhalable HLP
glue, paint thinner, gasoline, aerosol, etc.
ingestible HLP
cough syrup, antihistamine, perscription drugs, mouthwash, hand sanitizer, energy drinks
perscription drug misuse
- taking a drug perscribed for someone else
- taking a perscribed medicine differently than it was perscribed
- taking a perscribed medicine to get high
Perscription Drug Misuse
US Department of Health & Human Services
- PDM is one of the fastest-growing drug problems in the US
- synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, are the primary cause of overdose death
- rate of adolescent overdose deaths from PDM is increasing
patterns in youth substance use
Monitoring the Future Study 2023
any drug use in past year
* 10.9% - 8th graders
* 18.8% - 10th grades
* 31.2% - 12th graders
adolescents most commonly report use of: alcohol, nicotine vaping, cannabis
use of narcotics other than heroin has been going down
serious substance use
substance use disorders
there are 2 kinds of substance use disorders: abuse & dependency
serious juvenile delinquents are up to 3x more likely to have a substance use disorder than other juveniles
drug abuse
juveniles & drugs
continuing to use a substance even though it negatively affects the individual’s life
drug dependency
juveniles & drugs
an inability to control one’s substance use where an individual’s tolerance rises and withdrawal is painful
alcoholics & drug addicts typically fall here
problems associated with serious susbstance use
- school-related
- health-related
- psychological & intellectual
- family/economic
susbtance use & delinquency
- juveniles who engage in serious substance use are more likely to engage in serious jvenile delinquency (and vice versa)
- substance use & delinquency involvement change in similar patterns over time (temporal order is unclear)
- substance use & delinquency both decrease in late adolescence
possible links between substance use & delinquency
- delayed development due to substance use may hinder decison-making, making juveniles more impulsive & more likely to engage in delinquency
- youth who use substances may engage in delinquency to afford habit
prevention
responses to youth drug use
prevention strategies
primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention
media campaigns
Nancy Regan’s “just say no”
“your brain on drugs” “little lungs in a great big world” etc. commercials
DARE
drug abuse resistance education
largely ineffective but still used in many schools
other responses to youth drug use
drug testing (official & at-home kits)
juvenile drug courts
responses to youth drug use
combining services & rehabilitation with supervision
upon completion, charges are dropped
good way to reduce recidivism and save money
most effective when it’s juvenile-specific
drug rehabilitation programs
responses to youth drug use
the single most effective way to address juvenile delinquency
goal is to rid juveniles of their drug alcohol addiction through therapy, life skills training, and/or medication
newer programs are geared toward youth, rather than being patterened on adult programs
prohibition
policy approaches to drug use
the main approach in the US
Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986: created a 100:1 punishment disparity for crack vs. powder cocaine
Fair Sentencing Act of 2010: reduced the disparity to 18:1
decriminalization vs. legalization
policy approaches to drug use
decriminalization
removing criminal sanctions while still retaining regulations (similar to alcohol)
legalization
removing criminal sanctions and not placing any regulations
harm reduction approach
policy approaches to drug use
a popular approach outside the US
using public health approaches to ensure that people are using drugs as safely as possible if they’re unable or unwilling to stop
needle exchange programs, availability of Narcan, heroin clinics, etc.
